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| 1. | Community Organizations:: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians 
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English Language Evenings Moscow (ELE Moscow)
English Language Evenings is an independent, open, public English-language lecture forum in Moscow, with more than 100 meetings hosting 90 speakers. Meeting once or twice a month from early autumn all to late spring, ELE hosts (mostly) native English speakers, usually prominent and/or interesting individuals from Moscow's greater English-language and/or foreign-resident community, giving lectures on topics of their own choosing. Among the purpose of the ELE is the providing of an intelligent-intellectual evening in Moscow in English, and the promotion of more personal interaction between the various speakers and Russians in Moscow. All visitors, Russians and "expats" are welcome! Lectures are held in the Chekhov Library/Cultural Center, Strastnoi bulv., 6. To be on the Emailing List and to automatically be notified of upcoming ELE meetings, simply send an E-mail.Web: www.elemoscow.net |
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| 2. | Community and Religious Organizations:: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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English Language Evenings Moscow (ELE Moscow)
English Language Evenings is an open, independent, public English-language lecture forum in Moscow started in 1998 and now having hosted 200+ meetings of 170+ individual speakers from various countries. Meeting usually twice a month from September to May, ELE hosts (mostly) native English speakers, usually prominent and/or interesting individuals from Moscow's greater English-language and/or foreign-resident community, giving lectures on topics of their own choosing. Among the purposes of ELE is to provide of an intelligent-intellectual evening in Moscow in English, and the promotion of more personal interaction between the various speakers and Russians in Moscow. All visitors, Russians and "expats" are welcome! Lectures are held in the Chekhov Library/Cultural Center. Only 100 rubles. To be on the emailing list and to automatically be notified of upcoming ELE meetings, simply send an e-mail.
Address: Strastnoi bulv., 6
Metro: Chekhovskaya
E-mail: EnglishLanguageEveningsMoscow-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Web: www.elemoscow.net |
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| 5. | Financial Adviser
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| Arriving in a foreign country can be difficult. But finding a proper bank – a bank that one can fully trust – makes the adventure easier. At our Uniastrum Expatriate Division, you will find a full range of first class financial services delivered to you by a management team who speak perfect English. Not only do we speak your business language – we speak YOUR language. |
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| 6. | Relocation Guide :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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3. Finding a Vet in Moscow
There are a few good veterinary clinics in Moscow that handle everything from general check-ups, vaccinations, and laboratory analyses to x-rays and complicated surgery, but most of them do not look and feel ‘Western’, and it will be difficult to find an English-speaking vet.
If you’re looking for a great English-speaking vet in Moscow, Allied Pickfords Moscow highly recommends our preferred veterinarians Yuri and his wife Valeria. Yuri & Valeria offer:
• Round-the-clock house calls and emergency visits (particularly helpful if you don’t know your way around Moscow or live in one of the compounds outside the city center)
• All vaccinations
• Check-ups and full examinations
• All required state veterinarian documents (international pet travel passports, health certificates and export documents for pets, including export permits for dogs)
• Pet boarding services
• Express laboratory tests and surgery
• Delivery of veterinary medications to your house
• Advice and assistance in adopting a cat or dog
• Assistance with exporting and importing pets from and to Russia (airport meetings, export / import customs clearance, pet travel advice, advice on making travel arrangements for pets, etc.)
You can contact Yuri & Valeria at 200-03-88 (home) or 8-2-906-25-10 (mobile). For more information on and a personal recommendation for our favorite vets, please contact at Allied Pickfords Moscow at (+7 095) 796-93-25 or send an e-mail to relocations@alliedpickfords.ru. |
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| 7. | Beaches & Swimming Pools :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Pokrovsky Bereg
Arguably one of the best Moscow beaches located on the territory of "Pokrovskoe-Glebovo". High entrance fee guarantees perfect peace and quiet. English lawns and flowerbeds. Sea sand is safe and good for kids as well as children's play area with trampolines and other entertainments. For rent: barbecue, kayaks, balls and rackets for badminton. Sports: golf, tennis, volleyball, mini football. Sheltered marquees with pillows and rugs can be leased.
Address: Nikolsky tupik, 2, from metro Sokol take marshrutka 12M to the terminal station. |
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| 8. | Business Groups :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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British Business Club
The British Business Club in Russia is a registered Non-Commercial organisation. Registration Number 104 779 628 0146. Primarily we give a place for everyone to meet and talk, without restriction. We generally keep to an English language base, but we do have a good number of Russian companies and members attending who carry on their debates in Russian too. If you have any questions, please, contact us on hello@britishclub.ru
Web: www.britishclub.ru |
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| 9. | Restaurant Reviews :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Restaurant Reviews
Planning to dine out? Visit the Expat Site Restaurant Guide
for a listing of restaurants and menus in English and Russian.
Every two weeks the Moscow Expat Site presents yet another Moscow eatery for your consideration.
If you'd like to suggest a restaurant for review - or even review a restaurant yourself - click here and we'll consider your suggestion. |
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| 10. | About The Moscow Expat Site :: The virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians, Moscow, Russia
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About the Expat Site
Welcome to The Moscow Expat Site. The Expat Site is a virtual community for exchanging information and interacting with English speaking expats and Russians.
To use the Expat Site you must first register. Once registered you can immediately begin reading and posting messages, as well as utilizing the other information resources available on the site.
The main message folder page has a listing of all the different categories available. Messages posted to all categories (except Personal Ads and Hot Topics) will be posted to the Digest folder for 24 hours. Messages in subject folders remain available for a much longer time.
Use the SEARCH function to find information on topics not currently posted. |
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| 11. | ATM Machines :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Alfa Bank 24 Hour ATM’s
US Dollars & Rubles
Cards Accepted: Visa, Union Card, EC/MC, Plus, Cirrus.
Click Here for the complete Alfa Bank ATM List in English
Metro Arbatskaya: Arbat 4
Metro Barrikadnaya, Krasnopresnya: Krasnaya Presnya 12
Metro Kuznetsky Most, Liubyanka: Kuznetsky Most 9/10
Metro Mayakovskaya: Marriott Grand Hotel, Tverskaya 26
Other Centrally Located Alfa Bank ATM’s
Metro Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya: Aktor Gallery Business Center, Tverskaya 16/2, 8.30 to 19.30 M-Sa, 9.00 to 15.00 Sun.
Metro Polyanka, Oktyabrskaya: Bolshaya Yakimanka 19 (Across from the President Hotel), 8.30 to 19.30 Mon – Sat., 9.00 to 15.00 Sun.
Metro Kitai Gorod, Liubyanka: Ul Pokrovka 3, Bld. 7, 8.30 to 19.30 Mon – Sat., 9.00 to 15.00 Sun. |
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| 12. | Dating Agency
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How it works
Anastasia Web features 10 000 beautiful ladies from the CIS countries who are interested in meeting a Western man. You can send translated e-mails to any lady featured on http://www.anastasiaweb.com/index-1456.htm. Her reply is translated into English and forwarded to your personal secure account on http://www.anastasiaweb.com/index-1456.htm. All the services are free for the ladies. The ladies are carefully chosen from 60 000 applicants, and only sincere and family-oriented women are featured on the site. |
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| 13. | Relocation Guide :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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The Pre-Move Survey
In order to obtain a detailed written quotation for your move, your moving company will offer you to carry out a pre-move survey of your personal belongings at your residence. This survey should be carried out by a qualified moving consultant; it should be free of charge and should not put you under any kind of obligation toward the moving company.
The purposes of the pre-move survey are to:
Provide your moving company with a good idea as to the volume and nature of your shipment (personal belongings, artwork and antiques, motor vehicles, pets, etc.).
Confirm the final destination (city and country) for your shipment and supply you with information on your destination country, including information on the import customs regulations.
Inform you of the various available shipping methods for your relocation, including approximate transit times to your destination country. Based on your personal requirements, moving schedule and budget, your international moving consultant will help you determine the best shipping method or combination of shipping methods.
Discuss your moving schedule, including your prospective packing dates, your personal departure date from Russia / your origin country), your personal arrival date in your destination country / Russia, and the required delivery dates.
Tell you about the customs formalities that are necessary to clear your shipment through customs at both ends of your move.
Explain the Ministry of Culture procedure for the export of artwork and antiques to you (if your move originates in Russia).
Answer any questions you might have regarding packing & packing materials, including special packing and/or wooden crating for fragile or high-value items.
Explain the insurance cover offered by your moving company.
Discuss any special requirements and answer any additional questions you might have concerning your upcoming move.
All of Allied Pickfords Moscow's moving consultants are completely bilingual (English / Russian), with some also speaking German and French. In fact, all of our moving consultants around the world speak English - in addition to the language of their native country.
Please contact the Allied Pickfords Moscow anytime at (+7 095) 796-93-25, or send an e-mail to relocations@alliedpickfords.ru to set up a date and time for a free survey of your personal belongings. If you are moving to Russia from another country, please also contact our Moscow. We will then put you in touch with a qualified moving consultant from our office in your origin country. |
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| 14. | The Moscow Expat Site :: The virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians, Moscow, Russia
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Every day new on The Moscow Expat Site:
Culture Picks
Moscow's cultural scene is famously enormous and varied - but where to start? Our arts-savvy editorial team trawl what's on offer, to bring you our selection of Culture Picks for your leisure time.
Parks & Estates
If you'e feeling jaded by the grey grim concrete of your favourite haunts, Moscow is the perfect place to commune with nature without leaving the reaches of the Moscow Metro. The Moscow Expat Site has lined-up the complete listing of parks, former royal and aristocratic estates and other green spaces for your leisure-time hours, from black-tie outdoor classical concerts through to nudist beaches for those who like to get their kit off.
Moscow Phone Directory
Got your finger on the butten? Now you can, using the Moscow Expat Site Phone Directory - a unique listing of expat-friendly services and organizations that will be of maximum use and benefit to you. All the numbers are updated for accuracy, and many offer English-speaking services. Do more and find more in Moscow, with the Phone Directory!
Expat.ru is on Telegram!
Put the info, listings and links, parks and picks in your pocket! Expatsite on Tele packs all the opportunities, secrets, tips, vacancies in a channel-chat you should not be without!
Vacancies
The best people will always be in demand, so if you are seeking new challenges in your career or new outlets for your professional skills, let your mouse wander over to our Vacancies section, to find job openings posted and updated daily on The Moscow Expat Site. |
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| 15. | Russian Alphabet & Pronunciation :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Russian Alphabet & Pronunciation
The Russian language is a member of the Slavic group of the Indo-European family of languages. Other languages belonging to this group are Belarussian, Bulgarian, Czech, Macedonian, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, Slovak, Slovenian and Ukrainian.
The principal language of administration in the former Soviet Union, Russian is spoken by about 170 million people as a first language. It is used by an estimated additional 100 million as a second language in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent State and of European Europe. Because of its large number of speakers and its leading position in the former Soviet Union, Russian is one of the chief languages of the world. Used officially by the United Nations, it is important in scientific writing as well. The great literature works written in Russian also have made the language culturally significant.
The Russian language uses the Cyrillic alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet has augmented from Greek uncial script, using the older Glagolitic alphabet for sounds not available in the Greek language. Cyrillic and Glagolitic were invented by Greek brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius. It was considered that while Cyril may have enhanced Glagolitic, his students, possibly from the first literary school in the medieval Bulgarian Empire (Preslav Literary School), developed Cyrillic from Greek during the 890s as a more suitable script for church books.
Historical Development of Russian
The historical development of Russian is not easy to trace because until the 17th century the religious and cultural language of the Russian people was not Russian but Church Slavic. However, within Russia the latter language became sufficiently altered by the vocabulary and pronunciation of spoken Russian to be transformed into a Russian form of Church Slavic adapted to Russian needs. The earliest existing document containing Russian elements is and Old Church Slavonic text from the 11th century.
When Peter the Great undertook to westernize Russian in the early 18th century, the Russian language was subjected to Western influences and absorbed a number of foreign words. Peter was the first to reform and simplify the Cyrillic alphabet used for Russian.
In the late 18th and 19th century, partly as a result of the work of the great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin, the Russians succeeded in throwing off the dominance of Church Slavic and developing their own tongue into a literary language, which was, nevertheless, influenced and even enriched by the Church Slavic legacy.
Literary Russian is based on the dialect used in and round the city of Moscow, which became the leading cultural center. Extensive reforms, aimed at simplifying and standardizing Russian writing and grammar, took place after the Revolution of 1917.
Cyrillic Alphabet
The Cyrillic alphabet became increasingly widespread over the 12th century. During the next ten centuries the Cyrillic alphabet was adapted because of changes with spoken language developing regional variations. You can find languages across Eastern Europe and Asia written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
The Russian alphabet consists of 33 letters, 11 vowels, 20 consonants and 2 letters which do not have a sound (instead they make the word harder or softer). It is not that easy to master Russian pronunciation because the accent is free, i.e., it can be placed on any syllable. Thus, there are no set rules for stress. The accent of each word has to be learned separately. In fact, the position of the accent on a given word may vary as the word's case and number change when it is inflected. Some words that are spelled alike are distinguished only by a different stress. In addition, no significant differentiation is made between long and short vowels.
Grammatically, Russian is highly inflected. The noun has six cases with an occasional seventh case, the vocative. There are three declensional schemes and three genders. Although the verb has only three tenses, it is enabled by a feature called aspect to express numerous subtle shades of meaning, some of which cannot be rendered in other languages. In addition, The Russian verb has five moods and four voices.
Slang
Russian is a very rich language with a very large number of slang words and expressions. New words and expressions appear on a constant basis with many being derived from the English language.
Teenagers have their very own slang, as do members of various professions. If you are going to work in an office environment, you will hear a lot of words that sound English but aren't. If you want to understand more of what people and teenagers talk about, ask your Russian teacher for help.
Many teachers are reluctant to teach slang (not to mention swear words), but you can always turn to your Russian colleagues and friends for explanations and translations of words and expressions. When learning and using slang, remember that there are many shades of politeness, not-so-politeness and rudeness. |
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| 16. | Patriarshy Dom Tours :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Capital Tours is the first company in Russia organizing regular daily City Bus Tours, weekly Kolomenskoye Estate, Lubyanka and Gulag tour, Metro tour, Red Square and Kitai Gorod tour (including St.Basil's Cathedral). Regardless of the weather, we are always at your service. Capital Tours offers you a commentary by an English-speaking guide. Moscow All Around (The Moscow City Bus Tour): 7 days a week (even if it snows) Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30, 13:30; Monday, Wednesday at 10:30 only. Adults: in the office 950 Rbs, on the bus 1000 Rbs, children: in the office 450 Rbs, on the bus 500 Rbs, Lubyanka and Gulag tour: every Thursday from 14:00 to 16:30. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 800 Rbs, Kolomenskoye Estate: every Thursday from 10:30 to 13:30. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 800 Rbs; Metro Tour: every Sunday from 11:00 to 13:00. Adults: 700 Rbs, children: 500 Rbs; Red Square and Kitai Gorod tour: every Sunday from 14:00 to 17:00. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 400 Rbs.
Address: Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka ul., 4, vkhod 6, 7. Tel: 232-2442, Fax: 234-2717; capitaltours@col.ru.
At the Russian-American Cultural Center we offer unique group tours, led in each case by an expert in the field. We offer other services, including hotel reservations, special private tours tailored to individual interests, both in Moscow and St. Petersburg. We also offer group or private Russian language classes for all levels as well as interpreting and organizational support for business negotiations. You can also book plane and trane tickets with us.
In Russia:
Tel/Fax: (501/495) 795-0927
E-mail: alanskaya@co.ruIn the United States:
Tel/Fax: 1 650 6787076
E-mail: pdtours@yahoo.com
Web: www.toursinrussia.com
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| 17. | Communication & Postal Services::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Communication & Postal Services
POSTAL SERVICES
Russian post services handle all kinds of communications, including local and international postal services, registered mail (incoming and outgoing), stamps, telegrams, intercity and international phone calls, newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Box rentals, intercity and international call services may only be available at the Main Post Office. Post offices (pochta) are located all over Moscow; each neighbourhood has at least one.
Moscow's Main Post Office (Moskovsky Glavpochtamt) is located at Myasnitskaya ul., 26, metro Turgenevskaya or Chistye Prudy. It is open 24/7. A convenient, centrally located post office is the Central Telegraph (Tsentralny Telegraph) at Tverskaya ul., 7, just up the hill from the National Hotel. Moscow's Main International Post Office is located at Varshavskoye sh., 37, metro Nagatinskaya.
Sending and Receiving Mail
If you want your friends and relatives to send you mail from abroad to your home or work address, make sure you provide them with the complete address. One of the most important items in your address is the postal index (equivalent to zip code), which consists of six numbers. Find out the index of your home address from your landlord; that of your work should be printed on your business car. An incorrect index will result in your mail being sent to the wrong post office in Moscow, which will delay delivery as your mail will have to be re-sent to the post office that handles your area.
For incoming mail, it is okay if the address is written in English. Ask your friends to clearly print all letters. (Capital letters are best). You might also want to e-mail or fax them your address in Russian printed letters so that they can copy in onto the envelope. Outgoing international mail can obviously also be address in English, but it helps if you spell out the name of the country to which you are sending your postcard, letter or parcel in English and in Russian.
If you want to send a letter or parcel from Russia, you should address it as follows:
country (only for international mail, including that to the former republics);
index and city;
street, building number, entrance number, apartment number;
last name, first name and patronymic (the latter only if applicable).
Public mail boxes are blue with the word "Pochta" written on them in white letters. They are available all over town and each post office usually has one outside (attached to the wall) and one inside. Regular mail will be delivered to the mail box (pochtovy yashchik) inside your building or to your office reception.
If someone sent you a registered letter or parcel and you are not at home when the post office attempts to deliver it, they will put a slip of paper in your post box notifying you of its arrival. The paper will also say at which post office you can retrieve your mail. You must complete the back of the slip which asks for your name, address in Moscow, passport details (issued where, when and by which agency). You must then show your original passport to receive your mail. If you fail to show up within several days of the notification, you might have to pay storage charges.
The Russian post service is still a bit unreliable - an airmail letter from Moscow to another country can take anywhere from three weeks to three months to arrive; the same applies to incoming mail. Important items and documents should only be sent by registered mail. A registered letter is called "zakaznoye pismo"; a registered parcel is called "zakaznaya pasylka". The best (but also the most expensive) option will be express mail company.
COMMUNICATION
Making Phone Calls within Moscow
When dialed from your home landline, phone calls within Moscow are still free of charge. Unless you live in a residential compound or hotel, which might require you to dial a number such as 0 or 9 to get access to an outside line, you just pick up the phone and dial the number. The majority of landline phone numbers in Moscow consists of seven digits. As Moscow has two area codes (495 or 499), sometimes you have to dial eleven digits (if case with 499 code). The same applies to making a phone call to a federal mobile number.
Making Phone Calls to Other Cities in Russia
Phone calls to other cities in Russia are still quite affordable. To reach a phone number in another city in Russia, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 55 or 53, then dial the area code of the city you are calling followed by the local number. For example, to call someone in St.Petersburg, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 55 or 53, then dial 812 (the area code for St.Petersburg) and the local phone number.
Making Calls to Other Countries
It is fairly easy to make an international phone call from a standard Russian telephone line, and normally you will get through even to remote locations. To access an outside line, dial 8 and wait for the tone. Then dial 10, followed by the country code, the city code and the local phone number you want to reach. For example, to call a number in the US, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 10 followed by 1 (the country code for the US) followed by the area code and local number.
If the city code starts with a 0 (e.g. in the UK and Germany), do not dial the 0 and start with the first non-zero number after it. For example, to call London, you would dial 8-10-44-208 followed by the local number (instead of 8-10-0208). When giving friends abroad your phone number in Moscow, remember to tell them the country code for Russia is 7 and the area codes for Moscow are 495 or 499. Your landlord will for sure tell you your area code. If you have a seven-digit home or office number or a direct Moscow mobile number, they need to dial +7 495 111 11 11.
Information on international dialing codes
Mobile Phones and Mobile Communication
The mobile phone market works slightly differently in Russia than in other countries, particularly the US. Service companies do not throw in the handset for free as part of your sign-up package. When you sign-up for service, you will receive a SIM card, which contains all of your account information. The card can be inserted into any unlocked handset (the great majority of handsets on sale in Russia are unlocked). When you purchase your SIM card and phone, be sure to keep all of the paper work that you are given in a safe place. If you lose your phone, call your service provider immediately so that they can freeze your account. In most cases, they can reissue you a new SIM card and you can retain your old number, service package and account balance. Mobile phones are available from numerous stores and shops all over town. At most of them you can get your new phone connected on the spot through the provider of your choice. There are 3 major phone operators in Moscow: Beeline, Megafon and MTS. They all offer a wide range of services and payment plans.
Two different kinds of mobile phone numbers are currently available in Moscow: a direct number and non-direct/federal number. A direct number is a seven-digit number, just like any other Moscow number, and can be accessed from any home, office or other mobile phone. A federal number consists of the number 8 followed by a three-digit area code such as 916, 926, 960 and a seven-digit number. Service charges for a direct number are more expensive than for the non-direct/federal number option. All major phone operator in Moscow offer an international roaming.
If you want to send an SMS to a direct Moscow mobile number you need to enter +7 495 followed by the seven-digit number.
You can top up your mobile phone in a variety of ways:
You can purchase mobile phone cards, that are sold everywhere from supermarkets to kiosks.
You can use multi-kassas - special devices that are on every corner and that look a little bit like ATMs. Usually when you pay with multi-kassa, you have to pay extra commission about 2-5%. In some mobile phone shops (like Svyaznoi) there are multi-kassas without extra commission.
You can top up your phone in any mobile phone shop. No commission is taken.
You can pay by your credit card directly via ATM.
You can top up your phone transmitting money form your bank account via Internet-banking.
Pay Phones
A pay phone is called a "taksofon" in Russian. You will find several different types of pay phones in Moscow. Some work with tokens, which are sold in kiosks and in metro stations; others work with pre-paid phone cards. Some allow you to make local, national and international calls while others are only for local calls. A particular kind of phone card will only work with particular kinds of pay phones, i.e. there are no universal pay phone cards.
Internet Service & Satellite TV Providers
There are many internet service providers in Moscow offering high-speed broadband internet access, as well as ADSL high-speed access with Akado, Stream and Corbina being the most popular ones. Prices for internet access are moderate compared to Europe and USA with the cheapest tariff rates starting from about 250 Rbs. Moscow features lots of free Wi-Fi hotspots available in restaurant, cafes, clubs, hotels and other public places, though internet cafes with wired internet access are also at your service. Satellite TV is getting more and more popular in Moscow. Major satellite TV providers are listed here. |
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| 18. | Health Care::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Health Care
General Information
The Russian health care system has seen major improvements in recent years, both in technologies and pharmaceuticals. Moscow hosts a number of Western medical clinics that can look after all of your family's health needs. The clinics are spread out over the city; therefore, regardless of your location, there is sure to be medical provision in the vicinity.
When coming to Russia, bring a good supply of any prescription medicine needed. Ensure you can continue that supply from a local facility or that you can find a local substitute acceptable to your original prescribing physician.
Early in your stay - when there is no emergency - identify the closest medical facility with English-speaking personnel. Ascertain its working hours and its reputation, if possible. If in Moscow for the first time, bring a copy of your medical records with you to assist your new doctor in becoming familiar with your past medical history. The approach to the provision of medical care as a service to both the population and the individual may be quite different to what you are used to.
Unless absolutely necessary, as in major medical emergency, it is suggested that you do not go to the local hospital on your own without first contacting your medical assistance company; if you must, at least ensure you have a Russian speaker to assist you. Unsure that you have enough money to guarantee any admission fees that may be charged.
Many medications can be purchased here over the counter that would only be available by prescription in your home country. However, in most cases the manufacture is different and, therefore, the drug is identified by a different brand name. Know the generic (chemical) name of your medicines if you think you are going to need to restock locally. Bring the package insert from your previous prescription with you. Fraudulent drugs are not a major problem in Russia, but be careful and check the dispensed drug before you pay for it.
Some medications including controlled drugs and drugs of dependence (i.e., sedatives and hypnotics; medications to treat the hyperactivity disorders of children; strong pain relievers; and some drugs for diabetics and epileptics) are simply nor available in Russia. If you are on such a medication, please speak to your physician in your home country and a physician at one of the medical clinics in Moscow to find out how to best handle this situation.
Vaccinations
Russia has no vaccination requirements, but it is a good idea to keep your shots op-to-date. If you need a shot while here, please contact one of the medical centers in Moscow. The following vaccinations are recommended for individuals traveling to or living in Russia for linger periods of time:
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or are exposed through medical treatment.
Typhoid. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus, diphtheria and measles. Outbreaks of diphtheria have been reported in states of the former Soviet Union.
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection of the central nervous system that occurs in the southern parts of the non-tropical forest belt in Europe and Asia, including Russia. Travelers are at risk who visit or work in forested areas during the summer months and who consume unpasteurized dairy products.
Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking or cycling or engaging in certain occupation activities.
Skin Care
Newcomers frequently have difficulty in adjusting to the dry air conditions in their apartments. Ladies complain of dry skin, broken fingernails, etc. Most women find that they use extra face cream. An electric humidifier helps a great deal. It is also useful to place pans of water around you apartment.
Eye Care
Dry, cold and polluted air is hard on eyes, especially if you wear contact lenses. Users are advised to give eyes a rest from contact lenses from time to time. It is advisable to have spare lenses or glasses with you. You can purchase all kinds and brands of imported prescription and non-prescription contact lenses (including Johnson & Johnson, Bausch & Lomb, etc), colored contact lenses, contact lens cleaners, glasses (including designer frames) and sunglasses at any larger optician's.
Most of them have qualified opticians or ophthalmologists and sophisticated equipment and will carry out a complete eye exam before fitting you with contact lenses or glasses. Fees for the eye exam are usually very moderate. Do not expect the ophthalmologists or consultants to speak English though. If you have just started you Russian lessons, take someone along who can communicate in Russian. Most pharmacies carry imported contact lens cleaners and moisturizing eye drops, while contact lens containers may only be available from specialist shops.
Digestion Care
Generally, it is advisable not to buy meat or diary products from anywhere other than a reputable market or shop. Meat purchased in the market should be inspected carefully to ascertain its freshness, and particular care should be taken in the summer months because of lack of refrigeration. Any meat bought at a market should be well cooked. Diary products bought at outdoor markets may not be pasteurized and should not be given to young children or consumed by pregnant women. All fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating. Water from the tap is suitable for cooking, but people normally filter drinking water or use bottled water.
Health Care Insurance
Before coming to Moscow, make sure you have full medical and dental insurance coverage for yourself and all family members that will cover any emergencies (and medical evacuation) that occur during your stay in the Russian federation. Western medical and dental services in Russia are very expensive if you are not covered.
If you are not insured when coming to Russia, please contact several Moscow medical centers to find out whether they offer their own insurance plans, or ask them for recommendations of reputable companies in Moscow or abroad that offer health insurance for expatriates. If you already have insurance, call the medical or dental clinic you intend to visit to make sure that they accept and have a direct billing agreement with your insurance company and which, if any, restrictions apply in an emergency situation. If you are not insured or your insurance plan requires you to pre-pay all services for later reimbursement, check which credit cards are accepted or whether payment must be made in cash.
Note that coverage with foreign insurers must be purchased abroad, under Russian law it is illegal to sell insurance policies that are issued by an insurer that is not licensed in Russia. Before you choose a health care insurance provider, whether local or foreign, make sure you read the fine print and discuss any questions you have. Many insurance companies do not pay for health problems pertaining to pre-existing conditions, which might include any chronic health problems such as diabetes. If you use a foreign insurance provider, deductibles may apply. Since the cost of medical services in may medical centers in Russia is lower that abroad, the doctor's consultation fee may fall under deductible.
Most foreign health care insurance providers have contracts with a limited number of medical clinics in Russia. This could mean that through your insurance policy you are forced to use a certain health care provider in Moscow. Unless your insurance company has a direct billing agreement with the medical clinic you intend to use, you will have to advance the payment and then claim reimbursement from the insurance company later. Some providers require pre-authorization, meaning that you must contact the insurance company before using medical services in Russia.
Clinics and Dental Care
Several Western medical centers and dental clinics operate in Moscow. Most have at least some expatriate doctors and friendly English-speaking support staff and are equipped to handle both minor and major medical emergencies. Some also offer house calls and medical evacuation services. Most clinics are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week or at least provide emergency services during the night.
While most Russian hospitals are not up to Western standards, Russian doctors are generally very good. Several Russian hospitals in Moscow have special arrangements with GlavUPDK (the main administration for the foreign diplomatic corps in Moscow) and accept foreigners for checkups and treatments at more moderate prices that the Western medical clinics.
Psychological Care
Living in a foreign country is always challenging and stressful. Everyone - from the working partner to the spouse and children - can be affected, and there is absolutely no shame in turning to professional help, which is available in Moscow. Problems frequently experienced by expatriates on international assignments include stress, anxiety and loneliness. A problem specific to northern countries, such as Russia, is SAD (Season Affective Disorder). If you find yourself in any situation you feel you cannot cope with on your own, please call someone. This someone can be a friend, a member of your women's club's newcomer's team, a nurse or a doctor at your medical center or some professionals.
PREGNANCY AND GIVING BIRTH IN MOSCOW
General Information
If you are an expecting mother who is moving to or currently living in Moscow, you will need information and advice for the period of your stay in Moscow. One option is to join a "mother-to-be" support group to share experience and useful information. Contact details and useful information can be obtained through one of the international women's clubs in Moscow and - if you have older children that are attending school - through your school's community liaison office or school newsletter.
You can attend childbirth education classes for further advice on pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and baby care and to learn about what to expect in Moscow. Most classes offered in Moscow are held in Russian, but you can contact any of the Western medical clinics in Moscow to find out about English-language pre-natal classes.
Hospitals and Doctors
Not all hospitals have maternity wards, and even less have neonatal care units. On the other hand there are several hospitals that cater exclusively to future mothers and their babies. A maternity hospital is called "roddom", meaning "house of birth". Most hospitals in Russia require visitors to wear plastic shoe covers. These are usually available from the concierge or at the coat check area near entrance for a small fee.
To make arrangements to give birth at a hospital in Russia, you will need to sign a contract and pay a deposit. Some Russian doctors speak good English (less frequently German or French), but if you need language assistance during labor and birth, you can make arrangements with an English-speaking healthcare provider in Moscow for an interpreter to be present during labor and childbirth. Make sure the hospital of your choice is aware of this arrangement.
Many things are done differently here than in your own country. The layout of the delivery room, for example, is different from those in American or European hospitals and usually offers less privacy.
Once you have chosen a doctor you will be issued a certificate regarding your pregnancy to carry with you. This certificate includes all pertinent information on your pregnancy and prenatal visits. Information on the birth itself and data for the newborn baby will be added later on. The certificate is issued in Russia, and it helps to avoid additional testing on admission to the maternity hospital. It provides the doctors and nursed with all the information they need to ensure a safe delivery and good prenatal care for your baby.
Hospital Stay
The usual length of stay in hospital is between three and five days; if you want to leave earlier you will be asked to sign a special form. After the baby is born you should contact your embassy to receive citizenship for your child and to apply for a passport.
Pediatrician
The Russian public health care system provides a local pediatrician for the first time home visit and a few follow-up visits by the district pediatric nurse. You can make an appointment for the well-baby visit in most family clinics. Some clinics in Moscow provide pediatric house calls. However, if you live a great distance from the clinic, please, check with your pediatrician if this service is provided.
Immunization
You can have your baby vaccinated through a private clinic or you can have vaccinations done for free (Russian-made vaccines) through the public health care system. Most expatriates prefer to use private clinics for their baby's immunizations where only Western-made vaccines from the world's leading manufacture are used. In Russia, a few days after birth a BCG vaccine is administered. You should discuss with your doctor whether you want this vaccination to be done or not. The immunization schedule in Russia differs from that in America and Western Europe - Hib, Varicella and Hepatitus A vaccinations are not on the national immunization calendar.
Private medical clinics will let you follow the immunization schedule from your home country, and most vaccines are readily available. Many local day care centers and play schools will ask you to provide your child's vaccination certificate, and many schools in Moscow test children for tuberculosis (PPD skin) on an annual basis. |
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| 19. | In Case of Emergency::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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In Case of Emergency
1. Prepare for Emergencies
Keep your insurance/assistance company card with you at all times. Make a personal emergency response plan, have it translated into Russian, and keep it in your car and your wallet/billfold. This plan should answer the questions: "What would I want people to do if they found me unconscious"
2. Call your insurance/assistance company early in the event of a problem
Make a "check" call when you are not in trouble to ensure the phone number is valid and that you can reach someone who speaks your language. Check that they can do what you would want them to do in the event of an emergency. Do they have the necessary authority to act, and sufficient local personnel and infrastructure to act quickly?
If you have medical and evacuation insurance - and it is recommended that you have both - be sure that the company will agree to evacuate you or repatriate you in the event of a serious medical emergency. Disregard the marketing brochures; fax them a scenario or two and ask them to tell you what they would do. If they will not agree to commit in writing, find a better provider.
3. In the event of an emergency, speed up the response by volunteering the minimum required information logically and clearly
Name and telephone number where you can be reached if the line is cut off
Membership number of company affiliation
Brief description of the medical problem and what kind of help you need
Location of patient and location of passport (vital for overseas medical evacuation)
In certain circumstances, it may be required or recommended to go abroad for medical reasons. As in many other countries, one cannot leave Russian without proper travel documents. Therefore, have your travel documents up to date and accessible at all times. To obtain a special authorization to leave and enter countries without proper travel documents is a difficult and time-consuming process and success cannot be guaranteed.
At all times know the status and whereabouts of your and your family's passports. Never allow your travel documents to be taken from you overnight or over the week unless you know you can retrieve in an emergency.
Important Phone Numbers
Fire fighters 101
Police 102
Ambulance 103
Emergency Gas Service 104
Intercity phone calls 107
Information 109
Time (automatic clock) 100
Emergency rescue service +7 (495) 937-9911 or 911
International SOS (The Moscow Clinic, 24 hour service to its clients)
American Medical Centers (24 hours service)
European Medical Center (French, British and American experts)
International crisis Line
Tel: 8 926 1133373
This is a free English-speaking telephone counseling service for expatriates people in distress. Available 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
In case you ever have to call the fire fighters, the police, or an ambulance, make sure that all family members can correctly pronounce your complete address in Russian.
Post a piece of paper with your full address details and phone numbers in Russian and translation into your native language on the wall next to your phone.
Also make sure that your children know how to reach you or another adult you trust in case they get lost or have an emergency.
Note that in Russia there is difference between the police (militsiya) and the traffic police (GIBDD, formerly GAI). The police are not responsible for regulating traffic or handling car accidents, and the traffic police do not handle criminal offences that are unrelated to traffic.
Pharmacies (Apteki)
Finding a pharmacy in Moscow is definitely not a problem. In fact, quite a few number of them are open 24/7. The prices vary from one pharmacy to another, but the difference is not very significant.
Information on pharmacies in Moscow
Embassies and Consulates
Your country's embassy or consulate can:
Provide information on Russia's foreign-residency requirements;
Renew an expired passport or replace a lost or stolen one;
Report a birth in Russia to your home country;
Provide guidelines for getting married in Russia;
Help make arrangements in the case of a death;
Assist in voter registration and obtaining absentee ballots;
Register its citizens residing in Russia (so that they can be contacted in case of an emergency);
Certify copies of documents in you home country's language.
Please remember that anyone temporarily or permanently residing in Russia is subject to Russian legislation. Any private or public disputes must be settled through the Russian legal system. Diplomatic or consular officials are not authorized to practice law or to act as an attorney or agents in private matters. They should, however, be able to provide you with contact details for attorneys who can represent you in court. |
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| 20. | Tourism::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Tourism
Moscow has a growing number of first-class international hotels and several smaller hostels that offer quality accommodation at more reasonable price. A hotel can be called a "gostinitsa" or an "otel" in Russian. If you intend to stay at a hotel with your pet, make sure that this is possible - not all hotels in Moscow allow pets.
TYPES OF HOTELS
The present Moscow hotel market in general can be divided into 5 groups:
luxury 4-5-star hotels;
tourist-class hotels;
small private 3-4-star hotels;
former ex-Soviet and present hotels of the state departments;
country hotels.
As for 4-5-star hotels, the majority of them are owned or managed by the western hospitality companies (such are "Marriott", "Sheraton", and "Kempinski"). But though some of them in fact belong to the city and are administered by purely Russian management, it doesn't mean a low quality of service.
Hotels of the second category in most cases still carry some features of Soviet time. It is reflected in general management, as well as in the level of service and equipment. Anyway central hotels of this category have no problems with visitors. This determines their price policy: $100-350 per day for a room.
The service standards in 4-5-star hotels have much in common with the western ones. The compulsory set of the facilities includes: parking, safe, room service, satellite TV, business centre (with internet access, copying, faxing, etc.), air conditioning, telephone, mini-bar, different stalls. Depending on the hotel you may be offered a fitness-centre, swimming pool, beauty salon, conference-halls, no-smoking rooms, concierge's services. Unfortunately most of the hotels, even expensive ones, have no conveniences for disabled people.
The prices in the majority of Moscow hotels are quoted in USD, but will be charged in roubles at the prevailing rate. Be careful: many hotels don't include 20% VAT into their prices. According to Russian laws all the payments are received in roubles. The rate of exchange in the hotel may be higher than one for which you've changed money.
Nearly all the hotels accept credit cards, but there are hotels and restaurants which for some reasons don't accept American Express cards. Travelling with children, you should check the amount of the additional payment, which may vary from 0 to 50% depending on the hotel and a child's age.
Movements of Personal Effects
An individual can temporarily bring goods weighing up to 50 kg and valued up to EUR 1500 duty-free into Russia. Individuals shall be charged 30% of the customs value of the imported goods exceeding EUR 1500, but not less than EUR 4.0 per kg in excess of the limit.
Travel Agencies
There are hundreds of travel agencies in Moscow: some specialize in ticket sales, others offer full tour and vacation packages, some specialize in tours to certain countries or continents, and yet others specialize in adventure and nature travel.
Car Rental
If you do not have your own car and feel like doing a bit of driving on your own after having settled in and having acquainted yourself with the Russian style of driving and traffic regulations, you may want to rent a car for a few days to explore Moscow and its surroundings on your own.
Maps
While you may come across a map with a bilingual street index, good English-language maps of Moscow are very difficult to find. In order to use maps you will have to know the Russian alphabet - otherwise you won't be able to look up streets in the index. You can purchase these maps at many bookstores, magazine and newspaper kiosks, and gas stations. The larger bookstores should also have maps for Moscow's suburbs and other cities in Russia.
Address in Moscow
While looking for a certain house in Moscow you should keep in mind the following things:
1. You need to know whether the house you are looking for is on the street (ulitsa), a lane (pereulok), an avenue (prospect), a boulevard (bulvar), an embankment (naberezhnaya).
2. Several streets in Moscow have numbers in front of them. For example, there is a 1st, a 2nd , 3rd and 5th Tverskaya-Yamskaya ulitsa.
3. You must also know whether a house is, for example, located on Bolshaya (big) Ordynka or Malaya (Small) Ordynka. There are many other examples of streets and lanes which exist twice - as a "big one" and a "small one".
4. A house (dom) can have several buildings (korpus or stroenie) to it. Usually the individual buildings are numbered (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), but sometimes they may have letters such as A, B, V, G, D.
5. Also make sure you ask for the entrance number. (There can be up to 20 of them in one house).
6. Google Maps cover Moscow very well, and the Russian search-engine Yandex has a similarly good street-finding map service.
Tipping
If you were happy with the food and the service at a restaurant, a 5 to 10% tip is appropriate. Try to tip your waiter in cash; if you add the tip to your credit card bill, the waiter will most likely never see the money. (In practice the way that credit-card payments are processed in Russia doesn't permit you to add tips in the huge majority of restaurants anyhow). You may also want to give small tips to handymen and plumbers.
Taxi drivers are not usually tipped, but you may want to pay them some extra money if they help you to carry your bags. Hotel/restaurant coatroom attendants are not normally tipped, but as these are often elderly ladies or men, they may appreciate a small token of appreciation. You don't tip coatroom attendants in public buildings, theatres, etc. It's usual to tip guides and interpreters if you've been satisfied with their work - very often their agency will be taking a large part of the fee you've paid.
Language
Russian is the basic language spoken in Moscow and in Russia in general, but you may hear many other languages spoken on the streets as Moscow welcomes lots of immigrants from the former CIS republics. A basic course in Russian comes highly recommended as in most cases, signs, road names and practically everything you see in Russia will be written in Cyrillic, so getting a good grip of the alphabet is key.
Even if you don't learn Russian, being able to read the alphabet will make a quantum improvement in your ability to move around independently, and will quickly repay the time spent in real savings. Practice by writing-out familiar words (your name, address, your friends, etc) using the Russian alphabet. |
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| 21. | Public Transport::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Public Transport
MOSCOW METRO
When it first opened in 1935, the system had just one line. Today, the Moscow metro contains 12 lines, mostly underground with a total of more than 175 stations. The metro is one of the deepest subway systems in the world. It is a great, fast, efficient, and cheap way to get around town, with stations close to most major places of interest in the city center. Trains run every couple of minutes from early morning to late at night. They can get very crowded during morning and evening rush hours. Stations that are always crowded are those adjacent to railway stations and bus terminals (for example, Kievskaya, Belorusskaya).
Many of Moscow's metro stations were designed and embellished by prominent Russian architects, artists and sculptors and are incredibly beautiful - especially those in the city center and the ones on the brown circle line, which connects seven of Moscow's nine railway stations to each other. When you start exploring Moscow on the metro, take some time to get off at each station to have a closer look. The metro runs from 05:35 to 01:00. Intervals between trains during the day are usually no more than a few minutes but can be longer in the early morning or late evening.
Brief History of the Moscow Metro
The story started in the beginning of the 20th century. The first and very unusual project of the underground was offered by engineer Peter Balinsky in 1902. According to his plan trains were supposed to pass across the Red Square over the heads of the astonished people in horse-carriages, but this project was rejected as well as many others. Only in 1931 the dream of many architects and progress adherents came true and the construction began. On May 15th 1935 the first line covering the distance from Sokolniki to Gorky Park was opened for public use. The lucky owner of the ticket No. 1 presented this precious piece of paper to the Museum of Moscow Metro.
Finding a Metro Station
Metro entrances are easy to find - they are indicated by big red letters "M", which are illuminated at night.
Metro Tickets
Fare: 26 Rbs per ticket (as of June 2010). Children under the age of seven travel free of charge.
The fee for 1 trip is fixed, i.e. it does not depend on the length of your journey, you can make as many line-changes as you wish, and stay down in the metro as long as you like - it is valid until you exit the metro system. Tickets are available for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 60, 70 rides and there is also a common ticket for 70 rides in all kinds of transport. You can also buy season tickets of different kinds: season tickets with limited number of rides for 5 days (1, 2 rides), season tickets with limited number of rides for 45 days (5, 10, 20, 60 rides), season tickets with limited number of rides for one calendar month (70 rides) and season tickets with unlimited number of rides: for 30 days, for 90 days and for 365 days.
Metro tickets can be obtained from the "kassas" (ticket booths) that are located inside each metro station. The tickets come in the form of smart cards. To enter the metro system, touch the yellow circle on the turnstile with your ticket. After you touch the yellow circle, the other circle a bit lower will show in green light how many rides are left (or illuminate in green if you have the season ticket). The red light on the ticket-barrier will go out briefly, and you can now enter through the turnstile.
If your ticket is not valid, the turnstile will make a buzz sound and the red circle will be still on. If you are sure that your ticket is valid, but the turnstile won't let you in, do not be desperate; just touch the yellow circle of the same turnstile one more time. Normally, if the ticket is valid, the turnstile will work. You don't need your ticket to exit the metro.
Moscow Metro Peculiarities
In one way the Moscow metro is definitely different from all other underground railways in the world: it was planned not only as a comfortable and easily accessible transport but also as powerful means of propaganda. The idea was to immortalize the greatness of socialism; as a result Moscow underground became one of the most grandiose phenomena of the Stalin era. Its pompous architecture and sumptuous designs allow Moscow metro to remain one of the most popular tourist attractions.
Each central station has its own unique style. For example Teatralnaya station is decorated with majolica bas-reliefs picturing folk dances. In the niches of Ploshchad Revolutsii there are 76 bronze statues imaging the creators of the communism. Kievskaya and Belorusskaya are adorned with national ornaments of Ukraine and Belarus.
Among other sumptuous metro stations Mayakovskaya is a true pearl of underground architecture. It is included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Silvery steel columns match beautifully with red and pink shades of rhodonite. The ceiling has 36 mosaic panels made of coloured glass created by very famous Soviet-era artist Alexander Deineka.
As money becoming tighter during the 1960s and 1970s the opulent designs of new stations were sacrificed in favour of better geographic coverage and investment into rail technology - the stations of this era look far more prosaic by comparison. However, in the Medvedev era funds are being found to build new stations - some of which are built in a "fake-Empire" style glorifying Russia's 19th-century past (e.g. Trubnaya), while yet others illustrate contemporary minimalist design styles (e.g. Vorobyovy Gory). Money is now finally being found to restore the first-generation stations (such as Mayakovskaya) to their original glory - and to invest in new rolling-stock and track.
Finding your Way around the Metro
It is not very difficult to find your way around on the metro. For convenience, each metro line has its own distinct colour. Information boards on the station walls show the stations that are served by the particular line you are on. They also indicate all possible transfers to other lines. Signs inside metro stations are in Russian only. Each train car has a metro map close to one or more of the doors. These maps are bilingual (Russian, English).
When you are on the train, the driver will make the following announcement "Ostorozhno, dveri zakryvautsya, sleduyuschaya ostanovka (for example) Smolenskaya". This means "Careful, the doors are closing. The next stop is Smolenskaya". You should be able to understand the station names. In case a station has transfers to two or more other lines, stay calm and try to find the information board indicating the needed station. If it doesn't work, ask someone for assistance.
Many stations have two or more exits leading onto different streets. The exit signs list nearby streets, places of interest, department stores, etc. It helps to find in advance whether you have to get off at the first or last metro car to get to your destination. When meeting someone inside the metro, make sure you are very clear about where exactly you will meet. Some stations are very big and can be very crowded, which can make finding someone a difficult task.
Light Metro
Since 2004, Muscovites are able to enjoy new means of city transportation - the light metro (monorail). The first line is in Butovo and can be accessed from metro Bulvar Dmitriya Donskogo. The second line is in northern Moscow and runs between metros VDNKh and Timiryazevskaya. The tracks are an elevated structure with an average height of 7.5 m (25 ft). Each train can hold about 300 passengers. The average speed is 40 km (25 mi) per hour.
BUSES, TROLLEYBUSES, AND TRAMS
In view of the fact that metro stations outside the city centre are far apart in comparison to other cities - up to 4 km (2.5 mi) - an extensive bus network radiates from each station to the surrounding residential zones. Also, Moscow has a several bus terminals for long-range and intercity passenger buses, with a daily turnover of about 25000 passengers serving about 40% of long-range bus routes in Moscow.
Moscow has an extensive tram system, which first opened in 1899. Its daily usage by Muscovites is low (approximately 5%), although, it still remains vital in some districts, especially, in the centre for those who need to get to the nearby metro station. Increasingly tram-lines are the victims of road-widening schemes, and the tram-system's coverage is steadily decreasing. Buses and trolleybuses run from about 06:00 to 01:00, trams from about 05:30 to 01:00.
Public Transportation Ticket Options
One ticket covers one-way transportation on only one bus, trolleybus or tram (regardless the distance). If you transfer to another bus, trolleybus or tram, a new ticket will be required. Tickets for public transportation can be purchased from kiosks on the street. They are typically grey in colour and have a big sign saying "Proezdnyue Bilety" meaning "Public Transportation Tickets". These kiosks can be found outside many metro stations.
Bus, trolleybus, and tram tickets cost 24 Rbs for 1 ticket; 48 for 2 tickets, 90 for 5 tickets; 180 for 10 tickets, 369 Rbs for 20 tickets, 700 Rbs for 60 tickets (as of June 2010). The more tickets you buy, the cheaper the individual ticket gets. If you plan on frequently using public transportation, you may want to purchase a so-called "yediny" which costs 2140 Rbs. This pass is valid for one month and can be used for up to 70 rides on the metro and unlimited tram, bus, and trolleybus rides.
Another option is to purchase a so-called TAT or "proyezdnoi". The letters TAT stand for Tram, Autobus (bus), and Trolleybus. A TAT costs 830 Rbs (as of June 2010). As TAT tickets are not valid for the metro, you will have to purchase metro tickets separately.
You are strongly encouraged to obtain your bus/tram/trolley tickets before you travel. However, you can obtain a ticket on-board, in return for some practiced tutting and grumbling. If you buy a ticket directly from the tram, bus, or trolleybus driver, it will cost you 28 Rbs (as of June 2010). The drivers only sell the tickets during scheduled stops, and you should try to have the exact change on hand.
To enter the tram, bus or trolleybus you have to use a turnstile entrance within the vehicle, located past the driver's seat. All buses, trolleybuses and trams required you to enter through the front door and exit through the back door.
Microbuses
Hundreds of routes in Moscow are served by microbuses (small passenger vans). In Russian these are called "marshrutnoye taxi" or "marshrutka" for short. Their only similarity to a taxi is that they can - in theory - be hailed at the roadside without having to be at a stop, and they can drop you off anywhere along their (fixed) route that the driver considers safe. The routes normally start outside metro stations, and the drivers will stop anywhere along their route at passenger's requests. These small buses often go to places where there is no metro, such as many micro-neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Moscow. They often run long after the metro has closed - but with no guarantees, as the drivers are free agents, and can pack up and go home if it is a quiet evening with few clients.
While these small buses often are a quicker alternative to regular buses, their drivers are often overworked and/or drive recklessly. Accidents involving microbuses are frequent. Pricing on board is entirely up to the companies offering the route - usually they are posted on the buses' windows, along with information on the route and the micro bus number. A very large number of marshrutkas are offering a "private" alternative to specific public bus or tram route - and number themselves the same as the bus- or tram-number they are cloning. Since the public services are not-for-profit anyhow, they rarely complain about this competition - which relieves congestion on already-groaning main routes. Marshrutka offers travelers a slightly quicker journey, less crowding on board, and a guaranteed seat instead of having to stand (no standing is allowed in marshrutkas, for safety reasons). You have to tell (i.e. holler to) the driver in advance of where you'd like to stop.
COMMUTER AND LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS
Moscow has nine large train stations. All of them serve long-distance trains as well as short-distance commuter trains called "elektrichkas" that go to various suburbs of Moscow.
Commuter Trains ("Elektrichkas")
When visiting a location outside of Moscow, make sure you know which train station your elektrichka departs from. Not all elektrichkas travelling to the same destination will spot at all of the smaller stops in-between. Large boards on the main platform usually list the trains that are going to be leaving within the next couple of hours, and they normally mention whether the train will stop everywhere or not. If in doubt, ask! Suburban trains run relatively frequently and are usually on time.
If you plan on frequently travelling to the same destination by suburban train, you may want to purchase a timetable for that particular route; they are very cheap and available at the ticket counters. Generally there are more trains during morning and evening hours when people travel to and from work, and on summer weekends when entire families travel to and from their dachas. During summer the trains can get very crowded, and seating is limited. Note that most of these trains have no toilets; neither do the majority of the small station stops along the way.
Long-Distance Trains
Moscow's nine rail terminals (or vokzals) are:
Belorussky
Kazansky
Kievsky
Kursky
Leningradsky
Paveletsky
Rizhsky
Savyolovsky
Yaroslavsky
They are located close to the city centre, each, dealing with trains from different parts of Europe and Asia. Tickets in general are relatively cheap.
If you contemplate a long-distance or overnight train journey make sure you buy a first or a least second class ticket. Some short- and medium-distance trains till have a third class, called "obshchy vagon". This is a carriage without any compartments, and you might end up sleeping next, above or under a noisy party of travelers - or military recruits on their way home on leave.
There are also different categories of train: "skory" ("fast", an outdated title in most cases, as it is rarely the fastest option), "express", and "firmenny" ("flagship service" - the highest category). Tickets cost more on better trains. You cannot buy a ticket merely specifying the route you want - you have to specify the train and time you intend to use, and you will be given an assigned wagon and seat (or berth, if the train is a sleeper). All long-distance routes longer than 24 hours are "compulsory sleeper" services - there is no "couchette" option. Firmenny trains are not only faster - they have greatly increased levels of comfort on board, nicer restaurant-wagons, and clean toilets, usually modern "airline-type" toilets. A useful "rule of thumb" when choosing trains - if you only know their numbers - is that the lowest-numbered trains are usually the best ones (firmenny). Faced with a choice of train 9 or train 371 on the same route, you'd be best to pick train 9. Some routes (e.g. Moscow - St. Petersburg) have competing commercial train operators, offering you a wider choice of services and prices.
Toilet facilities on non-firmenny Russian trains are not great, and it is absolutely essential to bring your own toilet paper and small pre-packed moist towelettes (the kind you get on airplanes). You might also want to bring some food and drink, especially if you are going to on longer trip. Routes longer than 24 hours always have a dining car - these tend to be either "nice but prohibitively expensive" or "cheap but grim" - almost all of them are nowadays operated as franchised businesses. Russian standard cafe fare is usually the extent of the menu - vegetarians are likely to fare quite poorly, even on better trains.
When travelling overnight, make sure you lock your compartment door. Keep an eye on your belongings, especially your passport and your wallet - thefts on trains can and do occur.
Most expatriates prefer not to use trains for long-distance travel; it is much easier and faster to fly. Overnight train rides to St. Petersburg, however, are a great experience, especially if you travel on one of the luxury trains (there is a choice of 5-6 premium-end train operators).
TAXIS
Apart from using public transportation, official and private taxis are the safest way to get around town. There are two different kinds of taxis in Russia, all of which are commonly referred to as "taxi": official and private taxis, and gypsy cabs.
Official and Private Taxis
Taxis come in various shapes and colours. The main feature of an official taxi is the presence of a meter, together with an official taxi sign either on the roof and/or on the doors. Official taxi drivers are supposed to switch on their meter when they pick you up and should charge you according to a "per km" rate (with a certain minimum charge), but many prefer not to do so. You may, therefore, have to agree on the fare before getting in. The same applies to gypsy cab drivers.
Note that in contrast to many countries, you cannot just get into an official taxi in Moscow and expect the driver to take you where you want to go. He may not be interested in taking you, particularly if you are going somewhere far from the city center.
Official taxis can be difficult to catch on the street - there aren't that many. If you expect that you will need a taxi, order one ahead of time. Private taxis will normally only pick up passengers who have ordered a car by phone or over Internet. Many of these cars also have taxi sign, but they usually do not have a meter.
Private taxi companies usually have a fixed charge - usually per 20 minutes. The taxi company should inform you of the charge when you order a car. Unless your company has a contact with a particular taxi company, you must pay a driver in cash. Few companies accept credit cards. If you need an official receipt, ask whether one can be provided before placing you order - not all companies provide this.
Gypsy Cabs
In Russia, the difference between hailing a cab (taxi) and simply hitchhiking is vague. Generally,
wherever you are, at any time of day or night, you can get a "cab" in a matter of minutes or seconds by holding out your hand. Normally, you tell the driver where you are going and negotiate an amount, with you naming the first price. For many locations, giving the closest metro station is the best. Keep in mind though that very few drivers speak English. "Chastniki" (gypsy cab drivers) drive their own cars that do not have any taxi signs on them.
Taxi Rules
To flag down a taxi or a gypsy cab, stand on the curb of the street and hold out your hand.
When a car stops, make sure that there are no other passengers in it.
Tell the driver where you want to go (e.g. name the street and the closest metro station). You will then be asked how much you are willing to pay for the trip.
If the driver is happy with your offer, he will say "Sadites" or "Poyekhali" (meaning "Sit down" or "Let's go").
Gypsy cab drivers often don't need instructions on how to get to your destination.
Few taxi drivers speak English or other foreign languages, so if your Russian is limited, ask someone to write your destination down for you in Russian and mark on a map so that you an show it to the driver.
Cars
There are over 3 million cars in the city on a daily basis. Recent years have seen a significant growth in the number of cars, which has lead to traffic jams and unavailability of parking space. The MKAD (Moscow Circular Car Road), along with the Third Transport Ring and the future Fourth Transport Ring is one of only three freeways that run within Moscow city limits. However, as one can easily observe from a map of Moscow area, there are several other roadway systems that form concentric circles around the city. You might want to rent a car to explore Moscow as a driver. Try one of the following car rental companies.
RIVER TRANSPORT
Moscow has two passenger riverboat terminals (South River Terminal and North River Terminal or Rechnoi Vokzal), serving regular ship routes and cruises along Moskva and Oka Rivers. Due to winter ice, the rivers are navigable from early April to mid-October for passenger transport, and for cargo - a little longer. Cruise ships, connecting Moscow with St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don and other cities of the Volga region depart from the North River Terminal (Severny Rechnoi Vokzal). From the South River Terminal ships depart to Ryazan & Konstantinovo, on the Oka River to Nizhny Novgorod; ships for the Volga River leave from Severny Rechnoi Vokzal. Additionally the suburban ships "Raketa", "Moskva" serve Severny Rechnoi Vokzal to the recreation area of the reservoirs of the Moskva Canal, and on one-hour excursions on the Khimki Reservoir. |
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| 22. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Pushkinskaya Square::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Pushkinskaya Square
Pushkinskaya square is situated at the intersection of Tverskaya street and Tverskoy boulevard. Up to 1932 Pushkinskaya square was called Strastnaya after Strastnoy Monastery, which was demolished after the revolution, like all other churches on Tverskaya. Now on the place of the former monastery one can see a monument to the greatest Russian poet Alexander Pushkin; it is beloved all over Moscow and serves as a usual place for meetings. The idea to create it appeared already in 1837 just after Pushkin has lost his duel with Dantes. It required three competitions of sculptors to choose the finally realized project by A. Opekushin.
Now "Pushka" (informal name of the square) is in not only the place of historical interest; it is literally filled with different cafes and small restaurants. The huge building of Pushkinsky cinema never leaves cinema-lovers in peace: it possesses the biggest screen in Western Europe, and almost every show here is a national premiere. If you prefer noisy and fussy meals, the first and the biggest MacDonald's restaurant in Russia is waiting for you here.
Bolshaya Dmitrovka
Bolshaya Dmitrovka street runs parallel to Tverskaya from Okhotny Ryad to Strastnoy boulevard. The part of the ancient road to Dmitrov, it was named after this old Russian town. In the 18th-19th centuries members of aristocracy, who didn't grudge money for their sumptuous mansions, chose to settle here. Unfortunately, few of their houses survived till now; nevertheless the remnant part still provides an opportunity to imagine how this street looked like before.
In 1970s the entire pavement was covered with special black glass. It looked like a regular asphalted pavement, but it was quite a special affair. Unfortunately, later for some reasons glass was removed. In the 1990s various boutiques, shops, restaurants and small cafes rapidly spread around it, and the spirit of luxury returned to Dmitrovka.
Before the revolution House of Unions was occupied by quite an opposite organization - Moscow Assembly of Nobility. Balls given here were famous all over Moscow; Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Liszt and other remarkable composers used to arrange their concerts here. Magnificent building in Classicism Style was erected in 1780 by Matvey Kozakov; in 1790 it was completely reconstructed, enlarged and the celebrated Column Hall was added.
Bolshaya Dmitrovka is lucky with theatres. One more home of Melpomena is located at No 17: it is the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko musical theatre. Originally built for count Saltykov, governor-general of Moscow, in 1839-1909 it was a place where the members of the Merchants' club had their meetings. Merchants' club was second in popularity after the famous English club; here rich merchants used to gamble their money and eat out in luxury restaurant, famous all over Moscow for outstanding cuisine. After the revolution this building was occupied by the Dmitrovsky theatre; since 1926 troupes of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko used this stage together; these two troupes finally united in one musical theatre in 1941.
Malaya Dmitrovka
Passing two blocks from Bolshaya Dmitrovka via Bolshoy Putinkovsky lane, you get to Malaya Dmitrovka, a cosy narrow street, although a bit noisy. White hip-roofed Church of Nativity in Putinky stands right in the beginning of the street. Despite rather small size, it usually arrests attention of architecture lovers with a splendid lightness of the snow-white walls. It was the last church in Moscow employing the spire architectural style, before it was banned by Patriarch Nikon.
The building next door to the church is one of the best Moscow theatres - Lenkom (Theatre of Lenin's Komsomol). The building was erected in 1909 by Ivanov-Shitz for the Merchants' club, which moved here in 1909 from Bolshaya Dmitrovka.
Bolshaya Sadovaya
Not far from the corner of Tverskaya and Bolshaya Sadovaya streets there is a charming "Aquarium" garden. Formerly there was a "Chicago" garden here; after its reconstruction of 1896-1898 a lot of little fanciful fountains, artificial springs and waterfalls appeared here. All of them flowed into a big aquarium, from which the garden took its name. In the Soviet time after constructing a new building of the burnt Mossovet Theatre all of the water inventions disappeared, and the name Aquarium lost its sense. During the preparations to the Moscow's 850th anniversary the garden was at last rebuilt and now houses two theatres: the above-mentioned Mossovet Theatre and the Variety-Theatre.
The house No 10 on Bolshaya Sadovaya street has the well-known flat No 50. Mikhail Bulgakov lived here in 1921-1924, and this very flat he described in his famous novel "Master and Margarita". The walls and the doors of the porch are covered with very interesting inscriptions and the flat itself is a place of endless pilgrimage. There is a kind of Bulgakov's museum there, supported by alms and kept by enthusiasts.
Petrovka
Petrovka street was once a bank of Neglinka river and it was not exactly a pleasant place for a walk: in the spring overflowed river would make this street a big puddle of mud. But Neglinka was put under the ground and Petrovka became a fashionable shopping street. Petrovka was named after Vysokopetrovsky monastery which looks a bit lonely surrounded by 19th and 20th-century buildings. Prince Dmitry Donskoy founded it in 1380 after the legendary "Battle of Kulikovo". As the legend goes Donskoy had a vision of a high mountain covered with white snow; he considered it to be a divine sign and decided to build a cathedral which later became the main church of the monastery. Vysokopetrovsky monastery was under special patronage of the Naryshkiny family, in particular mother of Tsar Peter the Great Natalya Naryshkina. And the architectural style of the monastery is known as "naryshkinskoye" baroque.
House No 25 is one of the best samples of Moscow Classicism. Build in 1790 by architect Matvey Kozakov, this beautiful mansion was occupied by Kreisman's gymnasium which was famous for accepting students that had been expelled from other schools because of their free-thinking. Today it is a museum of Modern Art headed by Zurab Tsereteli.
Probably the most famous building on this street is house No 38. The phrase "Petrovka, 38" brings to mind signals of police cars and oaths of captured criminals. This used to be Moscow Criminal Investigation Department immortalized in one of the most popular Russian movies "Place of a Meeting is not to be Changed" starring Vladimir Vysotsky.
Karetny Ryad
Karetny Ryad street is Petrovka's continuation. Once it was a street where wagons were made. Progress went on, crude wagons were replaced by elegant carriages ("karety") and this street got its name. The main sight here is Hermitage Garden. It was opened in 1894 by Jakov Shchukin, former servant who had become an entrepreneur, and used to be a place where theatre performances, shows and fetes were arranged. It was here that in 1896 Muscovites could see the famous train arrival in the first ever movie by Lumier brothers. And in 1898 the premier of the play "Tsar Fedor Ioannovich" commemorated the beginning of Moscow Arts Theatre. Today there are several theatres, one opera theatre in "Hermitage" and in winter a skating rink with several cafes. |
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| 23. | Charities::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Charities
Private charities were outlawed during the 70 years of communist power. When the Soviet Union began to collapse, and the social safety net unravelled, Russians found themselves scrambling to build an NGO culture from scratch. Expats have been involved in a big way - and many have specifically come to Russia to help out. Others who are already here see overwhelming needs every day that they cannot ignore. Here's how to get involved.
If language is a barrier, volunteer or fund raise through any of the myriad of community or religious organizations.
Russian speakers can go directly to a Russian charity or help an expat group find new projects to support.
Beware if you are moved to write checks at the site of photos of needy children staring helplessly from the front of a slick brochure. Sometimes the most effective Russian charities can't afford Madison Avenue and some of those who can may not be what they seem.
Some do's and don'ts
Do realize that the Russian tax law doesn't grant NGOs the kinds of benefits they enjoy in the West. Thus, instead of creating a project to fill a need, charities target needs that the law allows them to address.
Don't donate money without thoroughly checking out the recipient organization. NGOs that balk at transparency may not be what they seem.
Don't assume that because an NGO is based abroad it is more effective than a home grown Russian NGO. Often the opposite is true.
Do network.
Moscow is a home to a large number of charitable organizations that are always happy to welcome new volunteers. If you want to volunteer or if you have furniture, clothing, shoes, bedding, toys, kitchenware, appliances or items you no longer need, please contact one of the charitable organizations listed below. Many are always looking for in-kind donations for the projects they support. Some may be able to pick up your donations from your home or office.
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW)
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) is a Dutch, non-governmental, public health organization working in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to reduce the impact of HIV among vulnerable populations. AFEW has developed a system of replication, which adapts successful international HIV programmes, based on best practices to the local conditions in other countries across the region. Currently, AFEW carries out programmes in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Tel: 250-6377
E-mail: info@afew.org
Web: www.afew.org
AMUR - Working to Save Russian
Tigers and Leopards from Extinction
AMUR is an Anglo-Russian charity promoting the conservation of Amur (Siberian) tigers and leopards and was officially launched at the British Embassy by the former British Ambassador, Sir Roderic Lyne, in May 2001. The Amur tigers and leopards are extremely endangered with only about 450 adult tigers and 35 adult leopards living in the wild in the Russian Far East. AMUR works to raise money and awareness for conservation projects in the Russian Far East, where these two extremely rare big cats live. Amongst other things, AMUR is working to create new protected reserves, promote eco-tourism, carry out education projects and help with much needed research. Volunteers can get involved by joining the AMUR Committee, holding fund raising events (all money raised will go directly to projects in the field), helping organize events, making a donation, etc.
Address: Myasnitskaya ul., 35a, office 46
Metro: Chistie Prudy
Tel: 768-8065
E-mail: e.newman@amur.org.uk
Web: www.amur.org.uk
Action for Russia's Children (ARC)
Action for Russia's Children (ARC) is an all-volunteer charity dedicated to helping children - particularly the under-privileged, disabled and homeless - and supports Russian initiatives that offer an alternative to institutional care. ARC works with day centers, therapy centers, specialist schools, a foster family project and toy library to establish alternatives to the internat system and to support parents who have made the difficult decision to keep a special-needs child at home. ARC's volunteers give support to ten projects helping children and young people in Moscow who have all kinds of special needs: physically and mentally disabled children, orphans, the homeless, and those of mixed race who suffer from discrimination.
E-mail: actionarc@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.actionarc.com
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
Charities Aid Foundation is a non-commercial organisation committed to efficient giving. It works to raise the profile of giving, lobby for tax breaks and provide an increasingly broad suite of services to charities and their supporters. The Russian office of the Foundation - CAF Russia - has been a successful charity in Russia since 1993. In close collaboration with the leading Russian and international companies and foundations, it realises around 40 programmes a year. Since the beginning of its work, CAF Russia realised over 300 initiatives aimed at the resolution of a considerable range of social problems, from aiding organisations for the disabled to developing local foundations in 26 regions of the country. Over 44 million dollars went to such ends. The total value of the projects supported by CAF exceeds 120 million dollars.
Address: Tverskaya ul., 24/2, str. 1, podiezd 3, floor 5
Metro: Pushkinskaya
Tel: 792-5929
E-mail: cafrussia@cafrussia.ru
Web: www.cafrussia.ru
Diema's Dream
Diema's Dream was founded in 1998 as a result of Mary Dudley's charitable work with orphanages in Moscow while she first lived here from 1994 to 1997. It was during this time that she met Diema, a charming little boy who had hydrocephalus and was paralyzed from the waist down. When Diema turned 5, he was sent to an Internat for children from the ages of 5 to 18. The founder had lost Diema in the system. Through her search to find Diema, Mary met Leonid Mogilevsky. Diema was one of the lucky children to have been saved by Mogilevsky from one of the worst internats in Moscow. Today Diema's Dream is a non-profit, all volunteer US and UK foundation providing financial medical and educational support for physically and mentally disabled children in Russia and the former Soviet Union states. The larger goal is to support changes in society and government in order to create social and medical support programs that will allow parents to raise their children at home instead of living in institutions. Diema's Dream has sponsored educational seminars for the staff and teachers of the Charity House Program.
Address: Borisovskiye Prudy ul., 16, korp. 4
Metro: Kashirskaya
Tel.: 340-0100
E-mail: info@ddfund.ru
Web: www.ddfund.ru
Downside Up
For decades Russian children with Down syndrome had no early intervention services, and their needs were ignored. In 1996 Downside Up, a Russian-British charity, began its daily free programs for Russian families that raise children with DS. Downside Up provides free educational and social services to several hundred Russian children with Down syndrome and their families. Volunteers are involved in charity fundraising events, such as an annual bike ride in Moscow and a Kilimanjaro Climb, and do volunteer work with the children at the center.
Address: 3rd Parkovaya ul., 14a
Metro: Izmailovskaya
Tel: 8 499 367-1000
E-mail: downskteup@downsideup.org
Web: www.downsideup.org
Greenpeace
Address: Leningradsky prosp., 26, korp. 1
Metro: Belorusskaya
Tel: 988-7460
E-mail: info@greenpeace.ru
Web: www.greenpeace.ru
Guide Dogs - Dogs as Assistants to Disabled People
Guide Dogs is an independent non-profit charity called "Dogs as Assistants to Disabled People" that provides a free humanitarian service to disabled Russians. The volunteer trainers train both guide dogs for the blind and help dogs for physically or mentally disabled people. Those who receive dogs get them for free. New dog owners also receive free instruction to learn how to work with their four-legged companions. The guide dog services are provided free of charge, but since Guide Dogs Dogs receives no governmental assistance the center relies on donations to continue its important work.
Tel: 8 499 145-2261
E-mail: guidedogs@guidedogs.ru
Web: www.guidedogs.ru
Hope Worldwide
Hope Worldwide supports orphans, disabled children and pensioners, veterans of World War II and the elderly. Volunteers are always welcome.
Address: Botanicheskaya ul., 33, korp. 5
Metro: Petrovsko-Razumovskaya
Tel: 977-7375
E-mail: info@hopeww.ru
Web: www.hopeww.ru
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
IFAW's mission is to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats and assisting animals in distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the wellbeing of both animals and people. Today IFAW's programs include a campaign to save the critically endangered Western population of Gray whales at Sakhalin Island, the IFAW Mobile veterinary clinic that spays/neuters and treats stray dogs and cats, the IFAW Orphan Bear Cubs Project that rehabilitates bear cubs orphaned after the cruel winter den hunt.
Address: Smolenskaya pl., 3, Smolensky Passage
Metro: Smolenskaya
Tel: 937-8386
E-mail: info@ifaw.org
Web: www.ifaw.ru
International Women's Club (IWC) Charities
The International Women's Club of Moscow supports many different charitable projects with the assistance of a group of dedicated volunteers. These projects fall into different areas that include baby houses and internats (orphanages), children, the elderly, families and individuals, foster families, handicapped and hospitals, soup kitchens, street children, the homeless, women's issues and a donations office. Volunteers are always needed and very welcome! The IWC Charities Group holds regular general meetings at which you can find out more about the work of the group and the many projects the IWC supports.
E-mail: iwcmoscow@yahoo.com
Web: www.iwcmoscow.ru
Kidsave International
Kidsave believes that every child needs a family. Consistent with its mission to end the harmful institutionalization of children, Kidsave has been working since 1999 to help move orphaned and abandoned children into permanent families. Volunteers are always welcome to help.
E-mail: Tatiana@kidsave.org
Web: www.kidsave.org
Kitezh Children's Community
Kitezh was established to place children from Russian orphanages into loving adoptive families living in an idyllic village some 300 km southwest of Moscow in the Kaluga Region. This therapeutic community is recognized nationally and internationally for the outstanding work that it does in healing traumatized children. Ten years ago, Kitezh was virgin forest. Slowly, a village of log cabin homes and a school came into being. The school is fully recognized by the government, and there are classes in computing, English, art and icon painting, personal development, as well as Russian, math, history and geography. The children learn traditional Russian dances and perform musicals such as "My Fair Lady" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the original English. Some of the first children to come to Kitezh from orphanages ten years ago are now university students - an outstanding testament to the loving success of this community.
Tel: 8 916 9751603
E-mail: kitezh@kaluga.ru
Web: www.kitezh.org
Maria's Children
The Maria's Children studio was established in 1993 when director Maria Yeliseeva began her volunteer work with orphans. Kids from different orphanages in Moscow attend the art studio to team art and life skills. They create murals, paintings and other artwork that has been exhibited in Russia and abroad, and their teachers practice art therapy and musical therapy with children challenged by disabilities. The studio also has a psychologist who works with the children. Maria's Children provides an atmosphere where children learn trust, love and friendship. They learn to paint and in doing so, are empowered to change their lives. Every year, Maria's Children sells adorable postcards and wall calendars. Volunteers who are interested in doing artwork with children are always welcome.
Address: Dmitrovsky per., 2/10
Metro: Okhotny Ryad
Tel: 692-4870
E-mail: mariaschildren@yandex.ru
Web: www.mariaschildren.ru
METIS Inter-Racial Children's Charity Fund
The mission of METIS is to improve the lives of mixed-race children through humanitarian assistance, education and training programs, and other avenues of social advocacy and support. It is the only organization of its kind in Russia. Current METIS programs and projects include computer classes; English and French language classes; donations of food packages to needy families; financial support to individual families; monthly ethnic gatherings for children and families excursions to theatres, museums, and other cultural venues; distribution of a semi-annual newsletter; holiday celebrations for children and families; donations of clothing, toys, and household items, summer camp sponsorship etc. Volunteers are always needed for the above programs and projects.
Tel: 343-0813
E-mail: metis2001@mail.ru
Web: www.fundmetis.narod.ru
MiraMed Independent Living and Social Adaptation Center (MILSAC)
Since 1991 MiraMed has been assisting displaced and orphaned children in Russia, helping them make the transition from state-run institutions to society. The organization's social protection programs for Russian orphans include humanitarian aid, education and training at MiraMed Centers for Social Adaptation in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Uglich that help orphans re-enter society with the skills they need to live a safe and meaningful life. MiraMed's short and long term volunteer programs give adults from around the world the opportunity to live and work in Russia and make a personal difference. MiraMed founded the Angel Coalition, the first and now the largest, most successful anti-trafficking coalition in Russia whose members provide public education and training and support for the rescue, return and rehabilitation of trafficking survivors. There are opportunities to work with pregnant single young mothers, single moms with young children, teenagers, and young adults, or with a professional staff of teachers and psychologists.
Address: Kotelnicheskaya nab., 1/15, korp. B, office 52
Metro: Kitai-Gorod
Tel: 915-4614
E-mail: erics@miramed.org
Web: www.miramedinstitute.org
Moscow Animals
Homeless dogs and cats are a big problem in Moscow. There are still no Western-style SPCAs in Moscow. The aims of Moscow Animals are to provide in-kind and financial support to a number of private and semi-private dog and cat shelters in Moscow and to assist the shelters and private individuals that rescue animals off the street in finding new homes for their furry friends. Volunteering at animal shelters in Moscow is possible, though operating conditions will usually be nowhere near those in Western countries. If you would like to adopt a dog or cat, please visit the dog and cat pages on the Moscow Animal website.
Tel: 763-0012
E-mail: info@moscowanimals.org
Web: www.moscowanimals.org
Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy (MPC)
The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy funds and operates soup kitchens that serve hot lunches to hundreds of Moscow's elderly each weekday in a number of locations around Moscow. In addition to running soup kitchens, the MPC distributes groceries to African refugees and underprivileged foreign students and prepares food packages for families from METIS, an inter-racial children's charity fund. Volunteers are always welcome.
Tel: 8 499 143-5748
E-mail: mpchaplaincy@gmail.com
Web: www.mpcrussia.org
Nastenka Foundation
Nastenka Foundation is based at the Institute of Pediatric Oncology and helps children suffering from cancer by providing their families with medical, financial and psychological assistance. Nastenka tries to help by providing the families with financial assistance; raising and providing funds for the purchase of medications, prostheses and medical equipment; providing funds for the treatment of individual children; providing the children with additional nutrition; providing the children with clothing and toys as well as educational supplies; arranging parties and entertainment at the hospital and excursions for the long-term resident parents; and involving volunteers in all aspects of the Foundation's work. Nastenka is always looking for volunteers to assist with fundraising, distribution of donations and raising awareness about their cause.
Tel: 585-4101
E-mail: mail@nastenka.ru
Web: www.nastenka.ru
"NAN" - No to Alcoholism and Drugs
Founded in 1987 by a group of psychiatrists who specialize in drug related problems, NAN now has more than 40 different chapters across Russia. The fund concentrates on developing, testing and approving various spiritually oriented methods of preventing alcoholism and drug-use, venereal diseases and AIDS. It works with abandoned "street" children. NAN has been a leader in NGO development in Russia and played an active role in preparing various federal and Moscow city laws regulating charities. NAN is a recipient of the Euro-American Award for Democracy and a Civil Society.
Address: Shvernika ul., 10a
Metro: Akademicheskaya
Tel: 8 499 126-3475
E-Mail: nan@nan.ru
Web: www.nan.ru
Operation Smile
Operation Smile is a leading international charitable medical organization which provides free, high quality, reconstructive facial surgery to children around the world born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities. Founded in the United States in 1982 by plastic surgeon Or. William Magee and his wife, Operation Smile has since operated on almost 80,000 children in 22 mission countries free of charge. Operation Smile donates medical equipment and supplies to in-country host hospitals. All Operation Smile doctors are volunteers, donating their time and services. Operation Smile has been recognized by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as the largest organization of volunteers in the world. Nominated by former US Ambassador to Russia Thomas Pickering, Operation Smile was awarded the first Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1996.
Address: Smolenskaya pl., 3, Smolensky Passage, office 708
Metro: Smolenskaya
Tel. 933-8377
E-mail: irina.tulyakova@operationsmile.org
Web: www.operationsmile.org.ru
Russian Children's Welfare Association (RCWS)
The Russian Children's Welfare Society is dedicated to assisting disadvantaged Russian Children improve their lives. Our organization was formed in 1926 to assist Russian children and families who emigrated to the West. Today the RCWS focuses on helping to improve the lives of children at risk in Russia. During the 2007-2008, the Society disbursed approximately 2 million dollars in direct aid to children in Russia by supporting orphanages, homeless shelters, hospitals, rehabilitation centers for disabled children and schools. More than 20,000 children have been helped by the Society, and over 600 grants have been made to children's organizations.
Address: Bakuninskaya ul., 81/55, str. 1
Metro: Elektrozavodskaya
Tel: 8 499 261-1868
E-mail: rcwsmoscow@gmail.com
Web: www.rcws.org
Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund (ROOF)
ROOF is a pioneer in providing high-quality education for children and young adults from Russian orphanages with programs aiming to eradicate traditional prejudices against this group by integrating them into society and enabling them to take care of themselves. ROOF needs volunteers to help with fundraising, translating materials, raising awareness about the problems faced by orphans in Russia, etc.
Address: Voznesensky per., 8
Metro: Pushkinskaya
Tel: 629-5100
E-mail: roof@roofnet.org
Web: www.roofnet.org
Taganka Children's Fund (TCF)
Taganka Children's Fund supports over 1,200 of the most disadvantaged children and single parents in Moscow to prevent children from entering institutionalized care or ending up alone on the city streets. Taganka Children's Fund is always looking for volunteers to assist with fundraising, PR grant writing and development projects. Much of the work can be done in English.
Address: Bolshoi Rogozhsky per., 10, korp. 2
Metro: Marksistskaya
Tel: 911-7449
E-mail: tcf@comtv.ru
Web: www.charity-tcf.ru
Therapeutic Riding Society
Therapeutic riding is a physical and a social activity that helps cure or ease many diseases and problems and that brings together the healthy and the handicapped. Equestrian therapy lessons include creative games and sports and contribute to a sense of well-being and self-reliance. The society is a non-profit charitable organization that aims at giving comprehensive help to disabled people. The program of rehabilitation and social adaptation provides riding sessions; rehabilitation exercises; lessons in clay modelling; embroidery; drawing; singing; pottery; ceramics; woodcarving; as well as playing sessions, lessons in basic horse grooming, stable keeping and horse tending. Members of the club regularly take part in national and international riding competitions. As the assistance the society provides to the disabled is free of charge, it relies on donations and grants from national and international organizations and private individuals.
Tel: 781-4668
E-mail: rboomkki@mail.ru
Web: www.hippotherapy.ru
United Way Moscow
United Way Moscow is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to improving people's lives in Moscow and eventually in Russia. The United Way marshals volunteer monetary resources to make a positive impact on the lives of children, teens and seniors. It also lobbies for government policies in Moscow and throughout Russia and promotes the concepts of philanthropic giving in Russia.
Address: Nizhnaya ul., 14, str. 1
Metro: Belorusskaya
Tel: 780-9717
E-mail: info@unitedway.ru
Web: www.unitedway.ru
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Russia
Founded in 1961, WWF is one of the biggest non-governmental conservation organizations in the world. WWF's mission is to stop the accelerating degradation of Earth's natural environment and to help its human inhabitants live in greater harmony with nature. Established in Russia in 1994, the main programs that WWF Russia is working on include forests, climate change, rare species, nature protected areas, ecological legislation development, education, and toxins. The WWF needs volunteer help in their office.
Address: Nikoloyamskaya ul., 19, str. 3
Metro: Taganskaya
Tel: 727-0939
E-mail: russia@wwf.ru
Web: www.wwf.ru
Although we believe all of the charities listed above to be reputable organisations, please bear in mind that a listing does not guarantee the bona fides of the organisation concerned. |
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| 24. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Tverskaya::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Tverskaya
Moscow's main artery and the most luxurious area during the Russian Empire epoch. Tverskaya Street has long been considered a benchmark for luxury and prestige. In the 14th century, it was a trade road from the Kremlin to Tver - one of the most important and influential cities at that time. The first name of the street was Tsarskaya ("Tsar's"), as already by the 17th century it became the main street of the Russian capital. Of course, central and extremely prestigious location attracted the highest class of nobility; Tverskaya of the 18th century was the street of sumptuous palaces and estates built by Catherine the Great's grandees. The 19th century added the firm spirit of commerce to the charming atmosphere of aristocracy: various luxury shops, confectioneries, boutiques, fashionable hotels and restaurants spread along Tverskaya.
Many innovations in Moscow started from Tverskaya street, though not all of them were beneficial to the ancient capital and its culture. It was completely reconstructed in the 1930s. In 1932, the street was named after Maxim Gorky, a proletarian writer. This was a present from the Stalin government made during the writer's lifetime.
Soon, Tverskaya street obtained a tragic fate; it was the first street reconstructed according to the infamous master plan of the socialist reconstruction of Moscow. Subsequently, it lost not only its original name, but its personality. This was the result of Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich's (a powerful "architect of socialism") vision. Some erections were built up a little, smartly moved deeper into the courtyards, and, if necessary, even carefully rotated. But nevertheless, many buildings were simply demolished (not a single church survived on Tverskaya), and the appearance of the street completely changed: it became wide and airy, but too straight and boring, built up with typical grey houses.
It is from Tverskaya street that capitalism began to encroach on Russia. It is here near the site of the National Hotel that the first "fartsovshiki" (illegal street vendors) started their risky business of swapping Russian matryoskha dolls for US-made jeans, and it is here that dollars were traded for rubles under the table.
A certain "face of the city", now it brilliantly reflects the mixed and controversial "soul" of 21st-century Moscow, full of modern western innovations and still firmly basing on the ancient roots.
Tverskaya has a limited number of residential buildings; therefore, the prices for living here are very high.
The modern Tverskaya remains the most important commercial, business and cultural street of the capital, with the most expensive and luxurious hotels being located here: the Ritz-Carlton, the Marriott, the Sheraton, etc. At the corner of Mokhovaya and Tverskaya one can see "National" hotel, one of the best examples of Russian Art Nouveau. Designed and built in 1903 by A. Ivanov, it is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Russia. In 1918 the hotel was for some years turned into "Prime House of Soviets" and permanently hosted the members of the Bolshevik Government, including Lenin who lived in number 107.
State Duma (Parliament) stays right opposite "National", at the corner of Tverskaya and Okhotny Ryad. Former building of the Soviet Ministry of Labour and Defence, it provides a brilliant example of transfer from Constructivism to the Soviet neoclassic style. Its characteristic feature is abandonment of any decoration, because the edifice should be beautiful of its own accord.
Another sumptuous building on Tverskaya, Moscow Central Telegraph (architect I. Rerberg), possesses the status of an architectural monument and historical - Revolution of 1917 in Moscow started by taking the Central telegraph.
The building No 9 on Tverskaya designed by the architect Zhukov is faced with granite captured from the Germans in December 1941. The Fascists had brought the granite to Moscow from Finland to erect a monument to their supposed victory in the centre of Russian capital. Then they, already as prisoners of war, faced the building with that granite themselves.
The Moscow City Administration was built in 1770 by Matvey Kozakov, famous master of Moscow Classicism. Former residence of Moscow governor-generals, after the revolution it housed the Moscow Council (Soviet). During the reconstruction of 1935 the building was moved 13 meters back and two more stores were added.
In front of the City Administration there is Tverskaya square with a monument to Prince Yury Dolgoruky, which has become a symbol of Moscow. The square was formerly called Skobelevskaya due to the monument to General Skobelev, a hero of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. In 1918 before the May Day parade the "White General" was removed and the pedestal was turned into a platform. Soon Skobelev's place was occupied by the monument to Constitution (a woman statue, a kind of Soviet "Statue of Freedom") and Skobelevskaya square became Soviet square. The bronze monument to Yury Dolgoruky appeared here in 1954 in honour of Moscow 800th anniversary; in 1990s the square was renamed back to Tverskaya.
The house No 14 was also created by Matvey Kozakov. The "Palace on Tverskya" belonged to Zinaida Volkonskaya, a beautiful and intelligent woman, who established a very popular literature salon here. In 1898 powerful merchant Grigory Eliseyev bought the house, reconstructed and opened as "Eliseyev's Store and Wine Cellar of Russian and Imported Wines." Very soon the shop was nearly closed down for illegal sale of wine: the distance between the entrance to the wine cellar and the Church of St. Dmitry Solunsky (now non-existent) did not comply with the legal minimum. It needed one night to separate the wine cellar off the shop and make a new entrance from Kozitsky lane. In 1917 Eliseev emigrated from Russia and the shop was expropriated by Sovets ("nationalized") and renamed. But the people still called it Eliseyevsky through habit and came here just to admire the famous interior. Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Eliseyevsky store has been officially given its name back.
One of the oldest buildings on Tverskaya is a luxurious classicistic one behind the fence with lions. Built in late 18th century, this mansion of earls Kheraskov and Razumovsky from 1831 to 1917 housed the Moscow English club, and now the State Museum of Contemporary History of Russia is located here.
Triumphal Square
Triumphal square is named after the Triumphal Gate constructed in 1721. Peter the Great entered the capital through it after his victory in North War. Hereafter there were constructed few more wooden Triumphal arches, and all of them had burnt. And the only remained arch was built at the Tverskaya Zastava square; later it was moved to a new place near the museum of Borodino battle. Now the only triumph of this square is the theatres located here. One of them is the Tchaikovsky Concert hall. Formerly Meyerhold's theatre was placed here, but in 1938 Meyerhold was arrested, the theatre was closed and the building was given to the Moscow Philharmonic. The Theatre of Satire is located at the building of the former Circus.
Lanes around Tverskaya
While you may find Tverskaya itself too busy and too noisy, there are a number of pretty lanes with beautiful old apartment buildings and small gardens that are popular with expatriate.
Kamergersky
Kamergersky lane has lately become a pedestrian area, and it has a real chance to be included into the Guinness' Book of Records as a shortest pedestrian area in the world. House No 3 is now occupied by Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). The theatre traces its history since 1882, when the modern building of the theatre, former mansion of Prince P.I. Odoevsky and S.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, housed Russian Drama Theatre. In 1885 Savva Mamontov's Private Russian Opera made its debut here. In 1902 another Savva, now Morozov, paid for reconstruction of the theatre after Fyodor Shekhtel's project, and in 1902 MKhAT opened its doors for theatre-lovers.
Brusov
Brusov lane is remarkable for its red and white Church of the Resurrection of Slovushchy on Uspensky Vrazhek, which was built in the first half of the 17th century. This church is one of the few ones not closed during the Soviet period; it has retained its original interiors.
Stoleshnikov
Stoleshnikov lane leads from Tverskaya to Bolshaya Dmitrovka and then continues as a pedestrian lane to Petrovka. As many other streets in Moscow, it is named after the profession of the people who used to live here. "Stoleshniki", who occupied this area in the 16th-17th centuries, made table-cloths for the Royal Court ("stol" in Russian stands for "table"). House No 9 is famous for its outstanding dweller - "the first Moscow digger", Vladimir Gilarovsky. Gifted historian and talented writer, he was affectionately known and beloved by Muscovites. Here he was visited by Tolstoy, Gorky, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky. |
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| 25. | Children in Moscow::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Children in Moscow
Some Formal Issues
Children born abroad to expatriate parents may find their citizenship rights affected, either by laws in the country of assignment or those of their home country. It is, therefore, important to check on both sets of regulations well before the child is born. Your embassy should be able to provide you with all the information you need.
If the baby is born in Moscow you should contact your embassy to receive citizenship for your child and to apply for a passport.
Circumcision can be performed in a maternity hospital, but you should discuss this with your doctor before birth so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
If you are interested in adopting a Russian child, your first step for advice should be your doctor/medical clinic in Moscow. They should be able to provide you with contact details for reliable adoption agencies. The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has an official adoption website at www.usynovite.ru with detailed information on the adoption process and information on thousands of children in orphanages across the country that are up for adoption.
Education
There are over 1800 high schools and 110 colleges in Moscow. Beside these, there are over 200 institutions offering higher education in Moscow, including 60 state universities and the leading Russian University - the Lomonosov Moscow State University, which was founded in 1755.
Moscow has a number of international schools and nurseries, which are popular with the expat community. All schools are fee-paying. The fees depend on the grade level, period of enrolment and whether or not your child requires any additional support programmes. In general, it varies between 3000 and 7000 Euro. The admission procedures for all schools are quite complex and consist of several steps (application form, test, interview etc); therefore, it is better to begin to do it well in advance. The academic year lasts from September 1st to the middle or end of June with summer vacations from July 1st to August 31st.
Books
The majority of bookstores have vast sections of children's books but mostly in Russian. Luckily there are some bookstores offering a selection of children's books in English, German and French.
Shopping
In Moscow you may find anything you need for your child (from an infants to teenagers) as there are plenty of stores to buy children's goods in: from markets and small local shops to large shopping malls and boutiques offering branded children's clothes and shoes. Note that closing and shoes sizes differ in Russia, Europe and USA.
Clothing SizesAge (y.o.)
Height (cm)
Size 1-1,5
86
- Russia
USA
UK
Europe 13
7.5
n/a
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| 26. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Kitai-Gorod::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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"Kitai" in Russian means "China", but Kitai-Gorod is not China-town! There are several theories explaining the origin of this name: according to the most popular one the word "kita" in Old Russian meant a "fence" and this area was in fact surrounded by a big wall; another theory claims that Italian builders brought the word "citta"("city") to Moscow. People started to settle here already in the 11th century. By the 14th century it was an area densely populated by craftsmen and merchants. In order to protect people of the Kremlin and Kitai-Gorod from Tatar and Lithuanian invaders Elena Glinskaya, mother of Ivan the Terrible, decided to dig a moat around the district. Later the moat was replaced by a big stone wall which was constructed in 1538 and destroyed in Soviet time. Inside the walls numerous shops, stores and markets appeared; thus Kitai-Gorod turned into a very important business and trading centre. Three main streets of Kitai-Gorod (Nikolskaya, Ilyinka and Varvarka) split duties a long time ago.
Nikolskaya
Nikolskaya street may be called the "Place of Enlightenment". It was the location of countless bookshops and "residence" of famous second-hand booksellers where you could find everything from an ancient manuscript to a recent edition of some famous writer. And it was not by accident: in 1564 the first ever Russian printed book "Apostol" came into the world here, in the first ever Russian printing-house run by Ivan Fedorov. A monument to Fedorov is located in Teatralny passage. Later the Institute of History and Archives was built on the place of the first printing-house; in its ornamentation it is still possible to detect motives typical for the old printing-house.
The first Russian high school opened on Nikolskaya street in 1687. Students of Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy could find any book on Nikolskaya and could study diligently. Greeks were professors of the academy and they raised future "father of Russian science" and founder of the Moscow State University - Mikhail Lomonosov.
The shortest street in Moscow, Tretyakovsky passage, embellished by a beautiful arc in Russian style, connects Nikolskaya street and Teatralny passage. Today it is a centre point of the fanciest and most expensive boutiques.
Ilyinka
The central street of Kitai-Gorod, Ilyinka, has always been a commercial street. First it was the location of the biggest Moscow market that offered wide range of products; that is well seen in the names of local lanes (Rybny lane ("Fish lane"), Khrustalny lane ("Crystal lane"), Vetoshny lane ("Old Clothes lane"). In the 19th century Ilyinka also became a business centre when biggest banks in Russia and Moscow Stock-Exchange ("Birzha") opened here. Today the imposing Classical-style building of Birzha houses the Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
In the beginning of Ilyinka there is one of the most important trading centres in Moscow - Gostiny Dvor. The word "gost" ("guest") used to have the meaning "merchant" and Gostiny Dvor, sumptuous creation of architect Giacomo Kvarengi, gathered hundreds of representatives of this profession.
Varvarka
The street was named after the Church of St. Varvara, the patroness of trade. The church stands in the very beginning of Varvarka since the 16th century. Imperishable relics of St. Varvara were said to cure people for serious diseases. Another famous Church of Maxim the Blessed was built in the 17th century and is known as "Moscow Pisa Tower" due to its sloping walls. Russia has always treated the so-called "blessed" people with a special care as they were believed to be able to prophesy.
One of the oldest civil stone buildings in Moscow is situated on Varvarka - it is the Old English Court. It was built in the 15-16th centuries by merchant Bobrishchev who was actively trading with Britain. Ivan the Terrible presented the chambers to British merchants but after 100 years of owning this house they were forced to leave it: Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich was filled with indignation by the execution of Karl I in England and ordered to deport British merchants.
In the 16th century house No 10 belonged to boyar Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuriev, grandfather of the first Russian Tsar of Romanov dynasty - Mikhail Romanov. This family also owned Znamensky monastery; Znamensky cathedral has preserved to our days.
Other famous streets of Kitai-Gorod area are Pokrovka, Maroseika and Solyanka.
Pokrovka
Pokrovka street crosses the boulevard ring between Chistoprudny and Pokrovsky boulevards. At first Pokrovka was a small countryside road with the river Rachka, which was constantly bursting its banks and leaving everywhere a lot of mud and silt. This unattractive road led to Rubtsovo and Izmailovo, favourite estates of many Russian tsars, and later many grandees from the tsars' retinue settled here. Obliging noblemen tried to make royal trips as pleasant as possible, that is why Pokrovka was "ennobled", the road was paved and new beautiful houses were built. In the end of the 19th century noblemen were ousted by merchants, and countless shops and little markets flooded the area. When Kursky railway station was opened in 1860s, Pokrovka street became cluttered with cheap hotels, inns and workshops.
Some signs of Pokrovka's "noble" past are preserved till now. Magnificent blue-white palace, often called "the chest of drawers" is a rare sample of Elizabethan baroque designed by architect Ukhtomsky. A legend tells that Alexander Pushkin used to take dancing classes this very building, which by then belonged to his relatives Trubetskiye. In 1861 a gymnasium opened here; it brought up such outstanding students as the father of modern theatre Konstantin Stanislavsky and the founder of Soviet aviation Nikolay Zhukovsky.
Maly Kazenny lane, once famous for a hospital for the poor, runs parallel to Pokrovka street. Here in the middle of the 19th century doctor F. Gaaz, "the holy doctor", helped hundreds of people in need. Gaaz was also the head doctor of Moscow prisons, and criminals adored him for his love of people and kindness to outcasts. His motto "Don't be late to do good" is written on the monument to this great person.
Maroseika
Pokrovka originally was longer, but in the 17th century it was divided into two parts, one of them kept the old name, the other became Maroseika street. Actually it was called Malorosseika (Malorossiya is an old designation for the Ukraine), but later the name changed a little bit. The Ukraine joined Russia in 1654 and many Ukrainians migrated to the new capital. They were (and still are) humorously called "khokhly" ("tufts of hair") due to their extravagant haircuts: they used to shave heads leaving a long tuft of hair on the top. Local street names still remind us about them: Khokhlovskaya square, Khokhlovsky lane, Church of Trinity in Khokhlovka. Ukrainian commanders, hetmans, used to stay in Maroseika during their visits.
Embassy of another neighbouring country, Byelorussia, occupies magnificent palace with beautiful stucco mouldings and sumptuous interiors. It was built in 1780-1796 after a project by Vasily Bazhenov for field-marshal Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, hero of Russian-Turkish war. Across the street, right opposite the Bazhenov's palace, there is the Church of Kozma and Damian by Kozakov. Another church stands in the beginning of Maroseika, the Church of St. Nikolay in Blinniki. Its name has a rather appetizing story: once the smell of pancakes spread around the neighbourhood making people's stomachs rumble, as pancakes-sellers came here with their tasty goods ("bliny" means "pancakes"). This traditional Russian food gave the name Blinniki to the area and later to the church.
While walking along Maroseika check Starosadsky lane with the magnificent Ivanovsky convent. Lost in Moscow courtyards, it was founded in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible's mother Elena Glinskaya. This convent served not only as a shelter for nuns, but also as a prison. It remembers mysterious Princess Tarakanova, claimed to be the daughter of Tsarina Elizabeth and Count Razumovsky. Tsarina Catherine the Great regarded her as a threat to own power and kept Princess Tarakanova in solitary confinement for many years.
Another famous prisoner of this convent was Darya Saltykova. This serf owner showed incredible "creativity", making up new kinds of tortures for her serfs. In the 20th century this prison tradition was carried on, this time the CheKa brought here its victims.
The Maroseika area is the one to keep in mind while choosing the apartment. Despite its proximity to the city center and being dominated by offices and retail stores, this district is surprisingly quiet and very convenient. Most of the apartments in this area are spacious and have high ceilings.
Solyanka
Once Solyanka laid among beautiful royal gardens, but the growing city had no mercy for those green plantations. Houses supplanted trees, exhaust replaced oxygen and fresh air, and quiet countryside road became a busy city street. The name Solyanka literally means "Salty Street", and it was the "saltiest" street indeed: many salt warehouses were located here.
Not only gastronomically important objects were found in Solyanka. House No 14 was once occupied by the Board of Guardians; orphanages, hospitals, almshouses, and banks in Russia were under its jurisdiction. Sumptuous and monumental, the building is a marvellous sample of Moscow Empire Style, built by architects Gilardi and Grigoriev. Today it houses the Academy of Medical Science.
One of the foundling hospitals, managed by Board of Guardians, was once in the next house. It was established in 1763 with special permission of Her Majesty Catherine the Great. Children-orphans studied different subjects, reading, writing, drawing, later some of them were sent to work in workshops and factories; others continued their academic carrier in university, Academy of art, medical schools; most talented ones were sent to study abroad. The motto of this institution is depicted in two allegorical figures, guarding the entrance, "Charity" and "Education".
Kitai-Gorod adjoins the Taganka area.
Taganka
The district "Taganka" is located between the rivers: Moscow and Yauza. In 1632, this settlement combined 93 courts. But the street Taganskaya itself has an earlier origin - from the 14th century. It was a part of the road to Kolomna, Ryazan and other cities. After a fire in 1812, many large and beautiful stone houses were built along the street. Some of these houses were converted to factories by their owners. In 1867, more than 60% of the houses belonged to merchants, some of whom were at the time already bestowed the title of honorary citizen. Taganka acquired industrial features and the first decade of the 20th century finally turned Taganka into one of the largest industrial areas of Moscow. Although, by that time, the inhabitants there were no longer merchants, but the working class. After the revolution, the area was called "the Proletarian" up until 1936, when it was named "Taganskaya". |
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| 27. | Parks & Estates:: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Parks & Estates
There are ninety-six parks and eighteen gardens in Moscow, including four botanical gardens. There are also 450 sq.km (174 sq.mi) of green zones besides 100 sq.km (39 sq.mi) of forests. Moscow is a very green city if compared to other cities of comparable size in Western Europe and America. There are on average twenty seven square meters (290 sq.ft) of parks per person in Moscow compared with 6 for Paris, 7.5 in London and 8.6 in New York.
Moscow has many large and pleasant parks. Some are plain parks, others have ponds or beaches and yet others contain old palaces/estates or other places of interest. Some are great for hiking, cycling, rollerblading and/or cross-country skiing. Most parks are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Note that most neighborhoods also have smaller local parks, some of which have playgrounds.
PARKS
Aleksandrovsky Sad (Garden)
The capital's most central park runs along the Kremlin's western walls. Aleksandrovsky Sad is directly accessible from the metro station bearing the same name. Picturesque gardens with shady trees and broad lanes were designed and set up in 1821 by O. Bove, one of the chief architects of Moscow, who reconstructed the city after the Great Fire of 1812. First called the Kremlin Gardens, they changed the name in 1856 after the crowning of Alexander II. On the central square of the gardens you can see the "Ruines" grotto, a peculiar memorial of the revival of Moscow after the devastation in 1812. It contains the Grave of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame, where you can watch the hourly changing of the guards. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Aleksandrovsky Sad; it is also just a 3 minute walk from the metros Teatralnaya, Okhotny Ryad, Ploshchad Revolutsii, and a 5 minute walk from Borovitskaya.
Metro: Aleksandrovsky Sad
All-Russia Exhibition Center (VVTs - formerly called VDNKh)
This huge exhibition center and park containing samples of monumental Soviet architecture and oversized statues was established in 1937. There are over 80 pavilions that used to display communism's latest achievements in science, agriculture, industry, and technology. Most pavilions have been turned into miniature shopping centers, but some still function as exhibits, for example the "Sadovodstvo" (Gardening) pavilion. Do not miss the impressive Fountain of People's Friendship (Fontan Druzhby Narodov) right in the center of the park. It consists of 15 gold-covered statues representing all 15 republics of the former Soviet Union. There is also a Museum of Astronautics; that is definitely what Soviet Union had reasons to be proud of. There are many legendary objects on display including first ever astronauts - stuffed dogs Belka and Strelka. The museum is located in the monument to the Explorers of Space. And, of course, recently restored Vera Mukhina's 24.5 meter (80 ft.) "Worker and Kolkhoznitsa" monument is a must-see sculpture. The VVTs features Russia's biggest Ferris wheel and many other attractions. When you get tired of wandering around this seemingly endless territory, you can sit down to enjoy a shashlik or plov at one of the many outdoor and indoor cafes. To get to the exhibition center, just take the metro to the station VDNKh - VVTs is a 3 minute walk from the metro.
Open: 08:00 - 22:00 (summer); 09:00 - 19:00 (winter)
Metro: VDNKh
Tel: +7 495 544-3400
Web: www.vvcentre.ru
Aptekarsky Ogorod (Apothecary's Garden)
This is Moscow State University's (MGU's) oldest botanical garden (founded in 1706 by a decree from Peter the Great). You can also visit the greenhouse and laboratory. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Prospekt Mira, take a short walk along Prospekt Mira and turn to Grokholsky pereulok, the entrance to the garden is just a 1 minute walk after the turn. The entry price of 300 RUR. For children under school age the entry is free.
Open: 10:00 - 18:00 (winter); 10:00 - 21:00 (summer)
Address: Prospekt Mira, 26
Metro: Prospekt Mira
Tel: +7 495 680-6765 / 7222 / 5880
Excursions: +7 967 2089878 (10:00 - 18:00, 11:00 - 16:00)
Web: www.hortus.ru
Bitsevsky Les
This is a large park and silver birch forest in the south of Moscow. It has two ponds with beaches, and although swimming is not recommended, you can still enjoy the beach atmosphere. The park also features volleyball, basketball, and badminton courts; and you can hire a rowboat, paddleboat, or bike. Further into the forest there is an equestrian center. Great for sledding in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Novoyasenevskaya (the park is just next to the station); the park is also accessible from the metro station Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya - once out of the metro, walk along Akademika Yangelya ulitsa for about 1 mile or take bus 680, 118 or minibus 566M to the station "Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya", then take a 3-4 minute walk to the park.
Address: Novoyasenevskiy tupik, 1
Metro: Novoyasenevskaya, Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya
Tel: +7 495 426-0022, +7 499 739-2705/07/08
Web: www.gpbuuc.ru
Botanichesky Sad (Botanical Garden)
Rose garden, arboretum with exotic trees and bushes, greenhouse with orchids, lilies and lotuses, Japanese Garden. Founded in 1945. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Vladykino, once out of the metro, walk for about 200 meters (0.12 mi) to the main entrance. The garden is also accessible from the metro VDNKh - take trolleybus 73, 36 to the station "Botanicheskaya ulitsa 33", or minibus 324M to the station "Glavny Vkhod Botanicheskogo Sada".
Open: 10:00 - 20:00 (garden summer only, except Mon, Thu); 10:00 - 16:00 (hothouse except Thu, Sat, Sun)
Address: Botanicheskaya ul., 4
Metro: Vladykino
Tel: +7 499 977-9145
Web: www.gbsad.ru
Bulvarnoe Koltso (Boulevard Ring)
Bulvarnoe Koltso is comprised of the following streets: Gogolevsky Bulvar, Tverskoy Bulvar, Strastnoy Bulvar, Petrovsky Bulvar, Rozhdestvensky Bulvar, and Sretensky Bulvar. It forms a semi-circle around the center of Moscow and is ideal for leisurely strolls. A walk along the boulevard ring's park-like areas is a great way to explore the city center, undisturbed by traffic. The park strip is situated in the middle of the road, in-between traffic lanes. Scores of beautiful old buildings are located along this route (and down the side streets leading off Bulvarnoe Koltso), and there are plenty of benches to sit and relax on along the way. It is also well worth venturing into some of the side streets branching off from the ring - you will find lots of pretty lanes with interesting buildings there.
Metros: Kropotkinskaya, Chistye Prudy, Turgenevskaya, Tsvetnoy Bulvar, Pushkinskaya
Ekaterininskiy Park
Pond with ducks and boat rentals, tennis courts, the House of Culture, the Museum of the Soviet army with planes and military equipment and much more. Nearby there is a health center for veterans. Playgrounds are concentrated in the side. Amongst playgrounds there is a large-scale concreted area for bicycles, scooters and roller skates.
Open: 06:00 - 23:00 (summer), 09:00 - 17:00 (winter)
Address: Bolshaya Ekaterininskaya ul., 27
Metro: Prospekt Mira
Tel: +7 495 600-6460 / 6391
Web: www.ek-park.ru
Fili
Great park for walking, hiking, and cycling. The famous Gorbushka shopping center is located right outside metro Bagrationovskaya. Centrally-located Filyovsky Park runs along the banks of Moscow River and covers 266.6 hectares with 90% of it being perfectly green area. Once it was the estate of Naryshkiny noble family that owned the estate for 175 year. The restored palace of the 18th century is a beautiful reminder of those days. Filyovsky Park is a great place for both quiet contemplation of nature and active recreation. Different parts of the park are accessible from 4 metro stations: your options are to take the metro to the station Bagrationovskaya, once out of the metro walk for about 450 meters (0.3 mi) to the park along Barklaya ulitsa, or to choose the metro station Filyovsky park and a 0.3 mile walk along Minskaya ulitsa, or you can take the metro to the station Pionerskaya and walk for about 250 meters (0.16 mi) along Polosukhina ulitsa, and finally you can come to the metro station Kuntsevskaya and walk for about 600 meters (0.4 mi) along Rublevskoe shosse (duplicate).
Adress: Bolshaya Filevskaya ul., 22
Metro: Bagrationovskaya, Filyovsky Park, Pionerskaya, Kuntsevskaya
Tel: +7 499 145-5155 / 0000
Web: www.parkfili.com
Goncharovskiy Park
There are four playgrounds, fitness and dance floor, a stage for the holidays. The central object which attracts visitors here, is the place for squirrels. A renewed outdoor furniture and free wi-fi make this park convenient not only for recreation but also work.
Address: Rustaveli ul.
Metros: Timiryazevskaya, Dmitrovskaya
Open: 07:00 - 23:00
Tel: +7 499 908-3500
Web:www.liapark.ru
Gorky Park
Moscow's most famous park runs along the banks of the Moscow River. Gorky Park is truly one of the most popular places for families to spend their week-end. Numerous fairground attractions such as the Big Wheel, switchback (for unknown reason known in Russia as American Hills), swirling see-saw make children's heads go round of joy while their parents are screaming of fear. There are also horses, boats to hire and caf?s. An ice-skating rink operates in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Kultury and cross the bridge over the Moscow River, or take the metro to the station Oktyabrskaya and walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) along Krymsky Val ulitsa.
Open: 24/7
Address: Krymsky Val ul., 9
Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com/en/
Hermitage Garden
Three theatres are located inside this very centrally located park - the Hermitage Theatre, the Novaya Opera, and the Sfera. Outdoor dancing hall and several open-air cafes. Lots of flowers and benches, alleys and the fountain create a special atmosphere of peace and quiet. To get to the garden, take the metro to the stations Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya, or Pushkinskaya and then walk along Malaya Dmitrovka ulitsa and turn right to Uspensky pereulok.
Open: 24/7
Address: Karetny Ryad ul., 3, str. 7
Metro: Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya
Tel: +7 495 699-0849 / 0432
Web: www.mosgorsad.ru
Izmailovsky Park
Izmallovsky Park consists of a vast area of parkland (over 1500 hectares) and a large forest consisting of pine trees, birch woods, and ponds. It is 6 times larger then the central park in New York. This is where the Russian tsars once had their summer estates and hunting grounds. Other attractions include a large skating rink in winter. The park is great for family picnics in summer. It is located adjacent to Izmailovsky Vernisazh - Moscow's famous outdoor souvenir market. The park also features a wide variety of attractions for children. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Partizanskaya (the park is just next to the station) or take the metro to the station Shosse Entuziastov, once out of the metro, take a 3 minute walk along Elektrodny proezd.
Address: Alleya bolshogo kruga, 7/A
Metro: Partizanskaya, Shosse Entuziastov
Tel: +7 499 166-6119
Web: www.izmailovsky-park.ru
Khamovniki Park
Khamovniki is one of the greenest and most picturesque areas of Moscow. Here is park named Mandelstam, another name is the Estate of the Trubetskoy family in Khamovniki - well-kept green area with a playground, pond, tennis courts and an aviary for protein. Park "Novodevichy ponds" is nearby, the sport and recreation complex "Luzhniki" and the famous Neskuchny Sad (Garden) are along the bordering area of the Moskva River.
Open: 09:00 - 21:00
Address: Usacheba ul., 1A
Metro: Frunzenskaya
Tel: +7 495 637-0048
Web: www.okdit.mskobr.ru
Krasnaya Presnya Park
Open: 09:00 – 22:00
Address: Mantulinskaya ul., 5
Metro: 1905 Goda, Vustavochnaya
Web: p-kp.ru
Krylatskie Hills
Located in the West of Moscow in one of the capital's few ecologically clean areas, this park has grassy slopes that are great for cross-country skiing and sledding in winter. Good hiking trails and a challenging cycling track are ideal for summer sports. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Krylatskoye and take a 5 minute walk from the metro to the park.
Metro: Krylatskoye
Kuzminki – Lyublino
The park is located in Kuzminki Estate which traces its history from 1702. Muscovites call Kuzminki Estate "the Russian Versal"; this wonderful architectural ensemble was created by celebrated architects Matvey Kozakov, Vasily Bazhenov and the Gilyardi family. Church of the Vlakhernskaya Virgin is an outstanding architectural masterpiece. In winter you can ride a dog team here or take part in the traditional Russian amusements; in summer you can make a bike-excursion about the estate or sail over the Kuzminki ponds and watch splendid flowerbeds planted for the flower festival. You can also rent the picnic area or picnic point.
Address: Kuzminskaya ul., 10
Metro: Kuzminki
Tel: +7 495 258-4560, +7 495 377-3593
Web: www.kuzpark.ru
Losiny Ostrov
Russia's first national park used to be the nobility's favorite hunting ground. Some wild animals including moose, wild boar, and beavers still live here. There are three ponds with different kinds of fish. The park is also great for hiking. "Los" in Russian means "elk", and there are many elks in the park indeed. The visitors may watch them in their natural habitat. Excursions in English are available. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Shchelkovskaya, once out of the metro take trolleybus 23, or minibus 583, or bus 257 to the station "Uralskaya ulitsa 19", and then take a short walk to reach the park.
Address: Poperechniy prosek, 1G
Metro: Shchelkovskaya
Tel: +7 499 268-6045
Excursions: +7 903 7445855
Web: www.elkisland.ru
Milutinskiy Park (Garden)
Cozy courtyard is like old pictures. Roundabouts, sandboxes, playgrounds and wooden houses. The Center of aesthetic education is located in the houses where there are dozens of different clubs for children from 5 to 18 years.
Open: 07:00 - 21:30
Address: Pokrovskiy bulvar, 10, entrance from Khokhlovsky pereulok
Metro: Chistye Prudy
Tel: +7 495 917-9013
Moskovsky Park Iskusstv "Museon" (Moscow Park of Arts)
Founded in 1993, this open-air sculpture museum has a collection of over 700 sculptures. Here you will find many Soviet-era monuments that were removed from their pedestals in Moscow's squares and parks after 1991, including the controversial statute of the Soviet Union's first KGB chief Felix Dzerzhinsky that used to stand right in the middle of Lubyanskaya Ploshchad in the city center. The park is located next to the Central House of Artists, across the road from Gorky Park. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Kultury and cross the bridge over the Moscow River, or take the metro to the station Oktyabrskaya and walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) along Krymsky Val ulitsa.
Open: 24/7
Address: Krymsky Val, 10
Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com
Neskuchny Sad (Garden)
This garden consists of terraces sloping down to the Moscow River and provides scenic hiking trails. It houses a wooden playground, an open-air theater, and plenty of benches. The name of the park translates as "Never Boring Garden." Once a noble estate, it is one of the oldest parks in Moscow. In the 18th century there were three mansions which belonged to Prince Trubetskoy. All that is left is part of the park and a "Hunters' house". In the middle of the 19th century a new owner, Prokofy Demidov, built a palace here. Originally it was designed in Baroque Style, rebuilt in the time of Classicism and its interiors are typical for the Empire Style. Here on the bank of the Moscow-river one of the largest in Europe Botanic gardens appeared; among its trees several historical objects are found today: the house of Count Orlov (1796), a vaulted bridge, and the house with rotunda. You can get to this park either through Gorky Park or take the metro to the station Leninsky Prospekt and take a 2 minute walk to reach the park.
Metro: Leninsky Prospekt, Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com
Park of the 50th Anniversary of October
This densely wooded and impressive size park is the ideal place for picnics. Playgrounds are basic. No attractions. The cafe "Central Park" with friendly staff and tasty sandwiches works at the entrance to the park.
Adress: Udaltsova ul., 22A
Metro: Prospekt Vernadskogo
Park Pobedy (Victory Park)
This huge park, also referred to as Poklonnaya Gora was established in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Soviet Union's World Two victory over Nazi Germany. Once it was a hill where all important guests of the capital were met with a bow ("poklon" means a bow). It contains the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, an art gallery, the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Georg, a mosque and a synagogue erected in memory of those Muslims and Jews who have perished in the horror of the war. Moscow famous sculptor Zurab Tsereteli has placed here one of his most monumental masterpieces: the statue of St. Georg spearing the dragon. Another thing that attracts visitors is the chain of fountains illuminated in bloody red in the evening; this symbolizes the floods of blood shed by Soviet soldiers. Skateboarders love to use perfectly smooth marble surface for their exercises. On May 9th (Victory Day), Muscovites gather here to celebrate the triumph over Nazi Germany. The park is great for walking, rollerblading, skateboarding, or reading a book. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Pobedy, the park is just next to the station.
Open: 10:00 - 18:00 (museum Tue-Sun)
Address: Bratiev Fonchenko ul., 7, Poklonnaya Gora
Metro: Park Pobedy
Tel: +7 499 148-8300
Web: www. poklonnaya-gora.ru
Perovskiy Park
Address: Lazo ul., 7
Metro: Perovo
Tel: +7 495 309-5342
Fax: +7 495 309-5163
Web: www.perovskiy-park.ru
Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo Park
Pokrovsky-Streshnevo is the former family estate near Moscow with an adjacent park.
Address: Ac. Kurchatova ul.
Metro: Shchukinskaya
Presnenskiy Park
The park with modern playgrounds, chess town, a sports complex and flowerbeds. The unique fairy-tale characters will not leave anyone indifferent!
Open: 07:00 - 22:00
Address: Druzhinnikovskaya ul., 9, str. 2
Metros Krasnopresnenskaya, Barrikadnaya
Serebryanny Bor (Silver Pine Forest)
This is a huge forest and park area that contains Moscow's most popular beaches. It features changing rooms, clean sand, beach volleyball areas, and boat, scooter and paddleboat rental. There are plenty of outdoor cafes and ice-cream stands. Note that the water may not be 100% safe for swimming. Serebryanny Bor is also great for cross-country skiing in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Polezhaevskaya and take trolley bus 20, 21, 65 or minibus 65 to the stop "Serebryanny Bor", or you can take the metro to the station Oktyabrskoe Pole and then take minibus 15M to the station "4aya Liniya".
Open: 09:00 - 21:00 (beach)
Address: 4aya Liniya Khoroshevskogo Serebryannogo Bora
Metro: Polezhaevskaya, Oktyabrskoe Pole
Tel.: +7 495 789-2570, +7 929 9990415
Web: www.s-bor.ru
Severnoe Tushino Park
Table tennis, dance floor, video arcade and children playground with attractions. Bicycles, roller skates and rackets on hire.
Address: Svobodi ul., 56
Metro: Planernaya
Tel: +7 495 640-7355
Excursions: +7 926 5221596
Fax: +7 495 640-7354
Web: www.mosparks.ru
Sokolniki Park
This 600-hectare park surrounded by a forest is where the tsars used to bring their falcons (a falcon is called a "sokol" in Russian) to hunt foxes and other small animals. The first path was cut through the forest on the initiative of Peter the Great and since that all paths have the name "proseka" (cuttings). Today there are seven cuttings: Birch Cutting, Maple, Elm and others; they all form radial structure of the park. More than 500 kinds of plants and 70 kinds of animals inhabit this thicket. The international exhibition center in this park often holds large trade fairs. The spacious green areas with ponds, pavilions and playgrounds allow for nice walks. Fun fair, horseback riding, restaurant. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Sokolniki, and take a short walk along the alley.
Address: Sokolnicheskiy Val, 1, str. 1
Metro: Sokolniki
Tel: +7 499 393-9222
Web: www.park.sokolniki.com
Taganskiy Park
Park of clture and leisure "Taganskiy", a comfortable and eco-friendly island of fresh air, is located in the center of Moscow, in the heart of Taganskiy district. For the past years, the park is cultural, recreational and sports center of the district.
Open: 07:00 - 23:00
Address: Taganskaya ul., 40/42
Metro: Taganskaya
Tel: +7 495 912-2717
Web: www.parktaganskiy.ru
Troparyovo Park
A green oasis in the South of Moscow, this park has a beach, changing rooms, refreshment stands, a chess club, open-air stage, and ping pong tables. Canoes and paddleboats are available for rent. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Tyoply Stan, then walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) to reach the park.
Metro: Tyoply Stan
Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills)
Located adjacent to Moscow State University (MGU), this area is great for walking and rollerblading in the summer with a magnificent view of the city on a smog-free day from the platform across from the University. Birds have nothing to do with the name: in the 15th century one noble lady bought a village here from a priest called Vorobey. Vorobey's name has outlived the glory of the Great Soviet leader Lenin, whose name this hill wore in the Soviet times. In front of the facade of MSU facing the Moscow-river there is a big square and a lovely alley decorated with busts of famous Russian scientists. The alley leads to the best observation point of the city. Many newlyweds will visit this famous place after their official wedding ceremony. In winter you can also observe snow-boarders and alpine skiers on the hill underneath. On weekend nights, the roads between the platform and Moscow State University are the scenes for impromptu car races. Souvenir vendors are always on the platform. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Vorobyovy Gory, then walk up the hill to the observation point.
Metro: Vorobyovy Gory
Vorontsovskiy Park
The park is located on the territory of the former Vorontsovo Estate. Vorontsovo is the landscaped park with linden alleys, benches, woodpeckers, squirrels, and cascading ponds - the rare thing for a Moscow park design.
Open: 09:00 - 23:00 (summer), 10:00 - 22:00 (winter)
Address: Vorontsovsky park, 3
Metro: Novye Cheryomushki
Tel: +7 495 580-2678
Web: www.usadba-vorontsovo.ru
ESTATES
Abramtsevo
Abramtsevo was mentioned in official documents for the first time in the 17th century. In 1843 Abramtsevo became property of a famous Russian writer Sergey Aksakov and after Aksakov's death it was bought by a successful manufacturer and patron of arts Savva Mamontov. At this estate you can see a collection of ceramics made by Vrubel and exhibitions dedicated to the estate's famous visitors (Turgenev, Repin, Vrubel, and others). Today Abramtsevo occupies about 50 hectares (0.2 sq. mi) along with a park and picturesque outskirts of the Vorya River and comprises architectural monuments created in the 18-19th centuries. The museum's collection features more than 25,000 items: pictures, drawings, sculptures, arts and crafts, photographs and archives of previous owners. To get to the estate, drive along Yaroslavskoe shosse from the city center, reach the 60th km of Yaroslavskoe shosse, watch for Khotkovo direction sign and turn left or you can take electric train (elektrichka) from Yaroslavsky railway station to the station "Abramtsevo".
Open: 10:00 - 21:00 (park), expositions: 10:00 – 18:00, Sat until 20:00
Tel: +7 495 993-0033, +7 496 543-0278
Excursions: +7 916 2784542, +7 496 543-2470
Web: www.abramtsevo.net/eng
Arkhangelskoye Museum Estate
Arkhangelskoye is referred to as the Versailles of the Moscow region. At the beginning of the 18th century, the estate belonged to Prince D.M. Golitsyn. After his death, it was purchased by Prince N.B. Yusupov (1751-1831), one of Russia's richest noblemen. Prince Yusupov was a well-known art lover and collector and moved his art collection to Arkhangelskoye. It included over 500 paintings by European masters from the 17th to the 19th centuries, many of which are still on display at the estate today. The collection also includes rare books from the 16th to the 19th centuries, as well as sculptures, bronzes, clocks, furniture, porcelain, etc. The Church of Mikhail Archangel built in the 17th century stands on a high bank of the Moscow-river. There is also a theatre with decorations by famous artist P. Gonzaga, and, of course, The Colonnade. To get to the estate, go along Rublyovo-Uspenskoye shosse and turn right at the first traffic light after the village of Zhukovka onto llinskoye Shosse, drive 5 more km, or take the metro to the station Tushinskaya, then take bus 549, 541 or microbus 151 to the stop "Sanatory".
Open: 10:00-20:00 (Wed-Sun)
Metro: Tushinskaya
Tel: +7 (495) 363-1375
Web: www.arkhangelskoe.ru
Izmailovo Country Estate
Country residence of Russian tsars in the 17th and 18th centuries. The estate is located on the unique man-made island that was created at the behest of the tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, the father of Peter the Great. In 17th-18th centuries it was a summer residence of the tsar family where in 1666 Aleksey Mikhailovich organised an agricultural paradise with arable farming, bee- and poultry-keeping and other rural pleasures. Tsar's famous gardens became the prototype for future botanic gardens in Russia. The museum "Izmailovo and Russian Tsars" holds historical and dramatized excursions. The Mostovaya (Bridge) Tower, built in 1670, served as the main entrance to the Izmailovo estate and was part of an arched stone bridge across the Serebryany (Silver) Pond. The Tower's composition is typical of the middle-age architectural style of the second half of the 17th century and similar to some of the Moscow Kremlin towers. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Partizanskaya, then take trolleybus 22 to the stop "Glavnaya Alleya".
Open: Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Mon – day off.
Address: Gorodok imeni Baumana, 1a
Metro: Partizanskaya
Tel.: +7 499 165-1236 / 0972, +7 499 782-8917/21
Web: www.mgomz.com
Kolomenskoye Open-Air Art Museum and Nature Preserve
The Kolomenskoye estate was once the royal summer residence of the Grand Princes of Moscow Vasili III and Ivan IV, and was turned into a museum and nature preserve in 1923. While the wooden summer palace was pulled down under Catherine II after it fell into disrepair, some of the churches built in the 16th and 17th centuries remain intact and serve as monuments to important stages in development of Russian church architecture. Among them are the Church of the Ascension (1532) and the Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan (1644-1670). Several examples of Russian wooden architecture have been moved to Kolomenskoye and are also displayed in the park, including the wooden house of Peter the Great dating back to 1702. The 390-hectare park is also famed for its alley of ancient oaks and linden trees - some purportedly more than 200 years old. It is ideal for family outings and picnics. Kolomenskoe, a small calm green island in the boiling ocean of the big city, has a very long history. The first known reference to Kolomenskoe village was found in the will-chart Moscow Grand Prince Ivan Kalita, dated 1339. But, according to archaeological evidence, the first settlement here was founded already 2.5 thousand years ago: it was so-called "Dyakovo Gorodische", the oldest settlement found on the territory of modern Moscow. Nowadays Kolomenskoe is included in the UNESCO List of World's Cultural and Natural Heritage. Among the other historical monuments in Kolomenskoe are the bell-tower of St. George (16th century), the Falcon Tower (1627) and Peter the Great's cabin (1702), brought here from Arkhangelsk. Some of the architectural monuments house the museum's expositions, changed from time to time. Various musical performances and festivals are arranged for numerous guests of Kolomenskoe. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Kolomenskaya, then take a 10 minute walk along Prospekt Andropova.
Open: 24/7
Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Mon – day off.
Address: Prospekt Andropova, 39
Metro: Kolomenskaya
Tel: +7 499 782-8917/21
Excursions: +7 499 615-2768/71
Web: www.mgomz.com
Kuskovo Estate and Ceramics Museum
Entering the Kuskovo estate gates, you find yourself in a different dimension. It feels like you have come into the 18th century by a time machine. Kuskovo occupies the territory of about 32 hectares. Towards the 1750s, following new trends in lifestyle, Count Petr Sheremetev, an important member of nobility at the Russian Imperial Court, turned his family estate (dating from the 16th century) into a residence, or "chateau de plaisir", which amazed his contemporaries by its splendour. Up to 25,000 guests would flock here to lavish celebrations. Yet, Count Sheremetev had the mansion built as a recreational summer residence, as well as a focus for different art forms appreciated by connoisseurs. Exhibits displayed here form a large part of his vast collection of fine and applied art. Nowadays the museum stock counts some 34,000 items, including a huge collection of ceramics and glass from different countries, from antiquity up to the present day. Architectural composition of the estate unites the Palace itself, three pleasure pavilions in the shapes of a Dutch house, an Italian villa, a Chinese pagoda and some other buildings. Baroque gardens and park landscape are geometrically laid out in the English style near the Large Pond. The Neo-Classical style Palace is one of the best parts of the estate preserved till now. The dancing hall is the largest and most beautiful parlor in the palace. The whole interior looks very festive due to the white and gild decorations of the walls, mosaic parquet and crystal chandeliers. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Ryazansky Prospekt, then take bus 133, 208 or minibus 157 to the stop "Muzei Kuskovo".
Open: 10:00 - 20:00
Exhibitions: 10:00 - 18:00
Address: Yunosti ul., 2
Metro: Ryazansky Prospekt
Tel: +7 (495) 370-0160, 375-3131
Web: www.kuskovo.ru
Kuzminki-Vlakhernskoye
This estate traces its history from 1702, when Peter the Great presented this land to his favourite Grigory Stroganov. Muscovites call Kuzminki Estate "the Russian Versal"; this wonderful architectural ensemble was created by celebrated architects Matvey Kozakov, Vasily Bazhenov and the Gilyardi family. Church of the Vlakhernskaya Virgin is an outstanding architectural masterpiece. Famous Peter Klodt and Ivan Vitali decorated the estate with their sculptures. In late 18th - early 19th centuries some landscape modifications took place: a "Star" park, English garden and a Chinese pond were laid out. The museum's exposition shows us life of the Russian nobility of the 19th century. In winter you can ride a dog team here or take part in the traditional Russian amusements; in summer you can make a bike-excursion about the estate or sail over the Kuzminki ponds and watch splendid flowerbeds planted for the flower festival. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Kuzminki, once out of the metro take a 7-8 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 24/7, museum: 10:00 - 18:00
Address: Topolevaya alleya, 6
Metro: Kuzminki
Tel: +7 495 377-9457, +7 495 372-6066, +7 495 657-6585
Web: www.kuzminki-msk.ru
Lefortovo
Lefortovo park is connected with the history of a separate district in Moscow counting some 300 years. At first this area in the outskirts of Moscow on the bank of the Yauza River was called Nemetskaya Sloboda (German settlement). This district was created by Ivan the Terrible especially for foreigners standing on Russian service, so that they could keep their habits of living. Time went by; New Sloboda appeared in this area under Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great. Later on, this district beyond the Yauza River was named in the memory of Franz Lefort, a Swiss of French origin, close friend and fellow-champion of Peter the Great. The history of Lefortovo is also connected with the name of Yakov Bruce, the first Freemason in Russia and (as the legend tells) the offspring of Druids. In the 18th century Lefortovo was the residence of Russian Emperors and Empresses. Later Lefortovo became the base of some elite troops of the Russian army and a military school; military hospital was also built in this district. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Baumanskaya, then take tram 37, 50 to the stop "Lefortovsky Most".
Open: 24/7
Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Monday – day off.
Address: Krasnokazarmennaya ul., 3
Metro: Baumanskaya
Lublino Estate and Park
This lovely park and palace are mysteriously little-known by even native-born Muscovites. In the 17th century the lands had been a hunting park owned by the infamous Godunov family. By the end of the 18th century ownership had passed through the Razumovskys to the Durasovs, who built the present palace in the first decade of the 19th century. You can take a picnic and walk about the banks of the extensive Lublino Lake which forms the centre of the semi-landscaped park. Although Lublino's territory is adjacent to Kuzminki, it's a different estate with a different history, and is most easily accessed from a different metro station: Volzhkskaya. There is an extensive series of light classical concerts on weekend afternoons in summer, and even (free) outdoor performances of complete operas. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Volzhskaya, once out of the metro, take a 5 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 09:00-18:00 (park); 10:00-17:00 (palace)
Metro: Volzhskaya
Tel: +7 495 350-1553, +7 499 722-7189, +7 499 614-2083
Web: www.mgomz.ru
Ostankino Estate Museum and Park (closed for restoration)
Ostankino was mentioned for the first time in the 16th century, but the oldest preserved building, the Church of Trinity, is dated 17th century. This beautiful palace belonged to Count Sheremetyev and is located on the shore of a lake right near the Botanical Garden and the VVTs Exhibition center. In the estate one of the first theatres in Russia was organised; all the actors here were serfs. This theatre still has one of the best acoustics in Moscow; moreover, it is the only preserved theatre of the 18th century. A considerable part of the Ostankinsky Park is occupied by the main Botanic Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences with more than 2000 kinds of roses, 400 kinds of lilac, plenty of exotic plants, a 300-year-old linden alley and three ponds. The palace is not always open to visitors and is usually closed in winter months. Concerts in summer months. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station VDNKh, then take tram 17, 11 to the stop "Ostankino" or trolleybus 37 to the stop "Ulitsa Akademika Koroleva".
Open: 11:00 - 19:00 (museum in summer)
Address: 1aya Ostankinskaya ul., 5
Metro: VDNKh
Tel: + 7 495 602-1852
Web: www.ostankino-museum.ru/eng.php
Tsaritsyno Museum and Nature Preserve
The name of this estate and park comes from the Russian word "tsar" and is home to the romantic ruins of the unfinished palace that Ekaterina II (Catherine the Great) ordered in 1775. The architect fell out of grace with Ekaterina and the incomplete project slowly fell apart. Its trees overlook the waters of the Upper Tsaritsyno pond, which together with the Shipilovsky and Borisovsky ponds form the largest cascade of ponds in Moscow. Tsaritsyno is the largest museum-reserve and historical and cultural monument of the federal level in Moscow, occupying over 700 hectares. A tremendously rich complex of architectural objects is gathered here - the historic village sites, plowed fields, barrows dated from the VI thousand years B.C. to the beginning of the XII century. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Tsarityno, once out of the metro take a 5 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 06:00-24:00
Museum: Tue–Fri: 09:30-18:00, Sat: 09:30-20:00, Sun: 09:30-19:00. Mon - day off. The entrance from 10:00.
Address: Dolskaya ul., 1
Metro: Tsarityno
Tel: +7 495 322-4433
Excursions: +7 495 322-4433 # 1142
Web: www.tsaritsyno-museum.ru |
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| 28. | Driving in Moscow::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Driving in Moscow
General information
There are over 3 million cars in the city on a daily basis. Recent years have seen a significant growth in the number of cars, which has lead to traffic jams and unavailability of parking space. Driving in Moscow can be a daunting experience for the uninitiated. Traffic accidents (and resulting deaths) are more numerous that in North America and most European countries - despite the fact that there still are fewer cars). Russian drivers regularly ignore traffic lights, road signs and traffic regulations as well as pedestrians, so you have to be very careful and drive defensively at all the time. Random stop-n-checks by the Traffic Cops are regular, and you need not have committed any kind of irregularity to be (legally) pulled-over in this way.
Many Russian drivers have not obtained their driving license in an official way - it is, unfortunately still relatively easy to "buy" a driving license in Russia. For all of these reasons, many expatriates choose not to drive in Moscow. They often make use of a driver provided by their employee, hire a private driver, or use public transportation.
Moscow Road System
Road conditions in Moscow are not too bad but they get worse as you leave town. Generally little attention is paid to paving, maintenance and roadside facilities. Moscow has a complicated road system with three major ring roads: the MKAD or Moscow Ring Road, which goes all the way around Moscow; the Garden Ring which encircles the city center and the Third Ring in-between the MKAD and the Garden Ring. There is also a smaller half-ring road (half because it doesn't form a closed circle), which is called the Boulevard Ring and is located in the city center. The city center consists of a complicated network of smaller streets and lanes, many of which are one-way streets. The Fourth Transport Ring is to be built in the future.
Documents to Carry with You
Drivers must always carry the following documents with them:
Passport (foreigners must also have their original Russian visa and migration card)
Driving license
Registration certificate
Motor vehicle insurance
A Power of Attorney if the car does not belong to you. If you are driving on office are, the Power of Attorney will normally only be valid for several months at a time and must be renewed on a regular basis.
Technical inspection card
Things to Keep in Mind
Many street signs are in Russian only and finding as address can be tricky. It is better buying a good Moscow street atlas, preferably a larger one that shows all individual buildings. You can also now obtain reliable GPS devices covering Moscow and surroundings.
The whole streets can be closed off when the president or another important person is expected to drive by. Rubevo-Uspenskoye shosse, Kutuzovsy prospect and Novy Arbat are especially prone to these situations, as are the roads to international airports if a major dignitary or delegation is arriving or leaving.
You should take travel routes to and from work into account when looking for an apartment or house in Moscow.
GIBDD
The GIBDD (State Inspection for the Safety or Road Traffic) is the Russian traffic police. Formerly called GAI (State Automobile Inspection), they are still referred to as such by many. The GIBDD is a separate police entity and has nothing to do with the regular Russian police. A traffic police officer is commonly referred to as a "gaishnik". Despite the official difference between the GIBDD and the Militia, their emergency phone number is the same - 02.
Arbitrary checks by traffic police are frequent. They can stop you to check documents, make sure your technical inspection card has been renewed, etc. While fines for minor violations, such as not wearing a seatbelt, are extremely rare, other violations, such as crossing a solid white line are subject to hefty fines (by Russian standards). Technically, you can also be fined for not having a first-aid kit or a fire extinguisher in your car.
The GIBDD frequently stops drivers on weekend and Monday mornings for alcohol checks. If you fail the breathalyzer test, you will be required to give a blood sample for further analysis. In such instances you want to include one or more sterile syringes in your first-aid kit. Procedures for paying fines are subject to frequent change. Any GIBDD officer must introduce himself (there are almost no female GIBDD officers in Russia) with his title (e.g. sergeant) and his last name upon request, he must show his badge.
Driving Licence
To be on the safe side, you should obtain an International Driver's Permit (IDP) before coming to Russia. Foreigners staying in Russia for less than six months can use their national driving licence, but must have the licence translated into Russian. The translation must be notarized. Foreigners intending to stay in Russia for longer than six months must obtain a Russian driving licence.
Normally any foreigner wishing to apply for a Russian driving licence must provide the following documents:
His/her passport and valid Russian visa with the OVIR registration stamp
A medical certificate (available from any major health clinic)
His/her national driving licence, a notarized photocopy of the licence, and a notarized translation
If the original (national) driving licence is still valid, the applicant only has to take and pass a theoretical driving test. If the applicant's licence has expired, he/she must also pass a practical driving exam before a Russian licence can be issued. Exams must normally be taken in Russian.
If you do not have a driving licence, you can obtain one in Moscow. However, in order to do so, you must be fluent in Russian: the theoretical and practical instruction is conducted in Russian. Some schools may allow you to bring an interpreter, but this may be difficult. Before enrolling in a local driving school, make sure that the school is recognized by the GIBDD and will register the students for the state driving exam. Getting a driving licence in Moscow is still quite affordable when compared to the West.
Obtaining a first-time driving licence in Russia involves enrolling in a local driving school, passing a medical test, going through two months of theoretical and practical driving instruction, and taking (passing) state driving exams. The exam is the same for both Russian nationals and foreigners, but foreigners have to take the exam in a different place.
Accidents
If you are involved in an accident and there is serious damage to your or the other side vehicle(s) and/or people are injured, stay right where the accident took place - even if you are in the middle of a busy intersection - and wait for a GIBDD officer. You will either have to call the GIBDD yourself (possible only if you have mobile phone and you speak Russian) or ask somebody else (e.g. the other driver involved in the accident, your office, your friend to call them. Do not expect the GIBDD officers to speak English.
To report an accident, call the police at 02 and provide them with all details of the accident (location, number and kind of vehicles involved, injuries, etc.) If necessary, call an ambulance at 03. Remember that leaving the site of an accident in which someone was injured is a criminal offense.
If the damage is small, you may settle the dispute with the other involved party on the spot. Many people prefer doing so as filling a police report even for a traffic accident can be a major nuisance in terms of lost time and formalities. Bear in mind that repairing a foreign car in Moscow can be expensive. If the damage is extensive, you must wait for the GIBDD. If you leave the scene of the accident without a detailed, written report from traffic police, you will have no chance of recovering money for damages to your and other side vehicle from your insurance company.
If you decide to involve the GIBDD in an accident, they will draw up a detailed accident report that will include sketch of the scene. If you do not speak/read/understand Russian, call your office and ask for an interpreter to be sent to the site of the accident as soon as possible. You will be asked to sign the accident report, but you should not do so if you do not understand what it says; you will need it for your insurance company. It may be wise to very discreetly take down the officer's name and badge number.
Note that it can take a long time for the GIBDD to arrive at the scene of an accident - even if the accident is causing major traffic problems. Provided that no personal injuries were reported, the officers often don't seem to in a hurry. However, once they arrive, they are usually quite good at handling the situation. If you are hit by another car and that car drives off, do not chase it. Stay, call the police, and file the report. Disputes over accidents have to be settled in court.
Insurance
On July 1st, 2003, mandatory car insurance was introduced in Russia. According to this new law, every car owner must have an insurance policy certifying that he/she is insured against third-party liability. However, as this mandatory insurance policy only provides coverage up to certain mount and does not include coverage for car theft and vandalism, it is advisable to purchase additional (voluntary) insurance. Ideally, you should purchase both mandatory and voluntary insurance through the same company.
Licence Plates
Most cars in Moscow have white licence plates with black letters. Red licence plates with white numbers and letters are reserved for diplomatic cars. A "CD" on such a licence plate stands for "Chef de Mission Diplomatique", a "D" for diplomat, and a "T" for "Trade". Blue licence plates with white numbers and letters are reserved for Russian officials and the police.
Traffic Jams
Moscow heavily suffers from the traffic jams. Many people have even missed their flights because they didn't plan on getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport. Major traffic jams occur regularly on all larger thoroughfares leading into and out Moscow, as well as on the ring road mentioned above. Traffic is particularly heavy going into town on weekday mornings and to the suburbs on weekday afternoons and evenings. The Garden Ring (Sadovoe Kol'tso) suffers from traffic jams all day long, although they are usually worse from about 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and then again from about 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. on weekdays.
Late spring to mid-autumn is dacha season in Russia. The outbound dacha traffic starts early Friday afternoon and can last well into Saturday morning, with the return traffic starting Sunday afternoon and often lasting into the late night. Monday mornings are also problematic during this season as many people go to work straight from their dachas, therefore, if you live on or along one of the large highways leading into/out of Moscow, expect to face this problem on a weekly basis for about five months every year.
Another problem related to the dacha season are the so-called "podsnezhniki". These are drivers who do not touch their cars all winter long. The word means "snow-covered" and stems from the fact that many drivers leave their cars outside covered by snow throughout the winter. These drivers and their cars can be a traffic hazard because the cars are old and because many of these people do not drive at least half the year and are out of practice come spring.
Parking
Parking is another consideration if you own a car. Since cars can be the target of break-ins in Moscow, it is important to have a secure parking space, which can be very difficult, particularly if you live in downtown Moscow. Many streets and lanes are very narrow, and you may not be able to park your car in front of or in the yard of your residential building, or - for that matter - your office. Things get worse in winter when snow piles up on the sides of the street.
Some apartment buildings have a small parking lot where parking spaces are allotted for tenants. If possible, negotiate the parking space at the same time you negotiate your apartment lease. Some of the newer buildings have underground garages; others have guarded yards. Residential complexes, such as Pokrovsky Hills and Rosinka, have private garages.
Buying a Car
Unless you are a fully accredited foreign diplomat, it is very difficult and expensive to import a car to Russia. In many cases your moving company will not be able to assist with the import customs clearance of your car, and you will have to pay very steep import duties.
If you can not live without a car, you can purchase one in Moscow. However, several difficulties are involved in this. If you have a foreign passport and want to buy a car, you can register the car in your name, but you will have to de-and re-register it each time you receive a new Russian visa. The other option is to register the car in a Russian friend or colleague's name and then have that person provide you with a general Power of Attorney allowing you to drive and sell your car.
You can either purchase a new car or a used vehicle. In either case make sure you purchase the car from a reputable car dealership. If you want to purchase a used car from a private individual, have it checked very thoroughly at a good car service station before buying it.
Also keep in mind that it will be difficult for you to re-export a car from Russia (unless you are a fully accredited foreign diplomat).
If the car is registered in another's person's name, you will first have to sign a sale contract with that person (so that you can prove that the car is actually ours). You must then re-register the car in your name and de-register it before it can be exported from Russia. You will also have to carefully check what the requirements for the import of motor vehicles in your destination country are.
Maintenance
Before winter arrives, have your car protected with extra undercoating and fitted with heavy-duty batteries, heavy-duty shock absorbers, and winter tires. Do not wait until the first snow - that's when most drivers remember and lines at service stations will be very long. Have your car checked on a regular basis. A number of good car maintenance services are available in Moscow. Many of them specialize in one or more vehicle brands (e.g., Volkswagen or BMW).
Petrol
A gas station is called a "avtozapravka" or "A Ze Es" for short. Gas stations are almost not-existent in the city center, particularly within the confines of the Garden Ring. Therefore, if you live in the city center, make sure you know where the closest gas stations are located. You should only fill up at reputable gas stations, such as BP (British Petroleum), TNK (Tyumen Oil Company), Yukos, or Lukoil.
The price for petrol in Russia is still significantly lower than in Western Europe and North America. Most Russian cars run on 92 or 95 petrol; foreign cars normally run on 95. Since there has been an increase of Russians driving foreign cars, this type of higher-octane petrol is readily available.
Technical Inspection
All cars on the road in Russia have to undergo a regular technical inspection, called a "tekhosmotr" in Russian. Currently, cars that are under five years old have to be inspected every two years; cars that are over five year old have to be examined once a year. The last number on your car's licence plate indicates the month in which your car must undergo the inspection. For example, if the last number is a 9, your technical inspection will be due in September.
The process is a bit complicated for people who do not speak Russian. Unless you know exactly what needs to be done, ask a driver of someone from your office to help you. If your car has passed all tests successfully, you will be issued a plastic technical inspection card, called a "talon tekhosmotra". Whoever is driving the car must carry this document with him/her at all times - along with all other necessary documents. Failure to undergo the technical inspection and/or not having the card may result in confiscation of your car or at least a heavy fine.
Towing
If you are caught driving while intoxicated; refuse to take an alcohol test; cannot produce your driving licence, your car registration papers, the documents confirming ownership of the car, or a valid Power Attorney; have illegally stopped or parked your car in a non-stopping and non-parking zone; or if your car has faulty brakes or a faulty steering system, traffic police can impound and tow your car. If your car is towed, you will have to pay a fine for the offence you have committed; pay for the towing costs; and pay an hourly fees for the time your car was impounded. These costs can amount to 10,000 Rbs or more very easily, and you will need cash to pay - no cards are accepted and there are no ATMs at the "Special Car Park". If you are not present when the car is towed, you may find it very difficult to retrieve/find it later.
Winter Driving
Driving in Moscow in winter can be a tricky and dangerous affair, especially if you are not used to such weather conditions. If you have never driven on snow, slush, ice, you may want to take a few driving lessons with an experienced driver before hitting the roads on your own. Due to huge piles of snow lining the sides of streets and yards, parking in winter is even more difficult than in summer months. Whereas a street may have two lanes, it may be reduced to one lane in winter, again because of the snow. Driving through small streets in the center can become very difficult, and cars going in opposite directions often get stuck because nobody is willing to back up.
Things to keep in your car during winter include a good heavy-duty snowbrush, a defroster for locks, and a roll of paper towels in case condensation builds up on the windows inside the car. You should also carry an extra canister of anti-freeze liquid in your trunk at all times.
Do's on the Roads
Do carry all required documents with you (along with your passport, visa, and migration card). Traffic police can make stop you anytime to check your documents. You are obliged to carry the original documents with you at all times - photocopies are not acceptable.
Do make sure that you have a first-aid-kit (including a sterile syringe, which is not mandatory), a fire extinguisher, and a sign for emergencies in your car. The traffic police can fine you if you fail to produce any of these during a roadside check.
Do drive on the right hand side of the road. This takes some getting used to when you are arriving from a country where driving is on the left.
Do drive defensively.
Do adhere to the speed limits of 60 km/h (37mph) in built-up areas and 90 km/h (55 mph) elsewhere.
Do fasten your seatbelts at all times. While regularly ignore buckling up is mandatory in Russia, you can be fined for not wearing a seatbelt. You can also be fined if your passengers are not wearing seatbelts.
Do turn your headlights when going through a tunnel.
Do look out for potholes - they can cause serious damage to your car. They may also cause drivers to weave dangerously in attempt to prevent damage to their cars.
Do stop when the GIBDD (traffic police) motions you to do so. (This can be a patrol car, but more usually a pedestrian officer at the roadside with a baton). They can stop you just to check your documents. Failure to stop can have very serious consequences, including being fired upon by the officers (who have the right to do so).
Do watch where you park in the center of town. Cars may be towed away or clamped.
Do be careful where you leave your car at night - break-ins do happen. Do not leave anything lying around the car. Put things that must stay in your car into the trunk.
Do make sure that your car is properly insured through a reputable insurance company. Carrying the Insurance Certificate with you at all times is a legal requirement.
Do remain flexible.
Do keep your license plate clean - you can be fined for a dirty/illegible license plate.
Do Not's on the Road
Don't drink and drive! Russia has a 0.3 pro mil in blood (0.15 with a breathalyzer test) alcohol policy for drivers and police are very strict about this. The GIBDD has the right to check your blood alcohol level on the spot. 0.3 pro mil of alcohol is about one bottle of light beer, but remember that alcohol effect different people in a different way. The more well-grown the person is, the faster alcohol digests. So, you never know if you have exceeded the norm or not. It is better not risk.
Don't turn left or do a u-turn unless this is clearly specified. You must drive until the next U-turn sign, no matter how far it is, to turn around, then come back and make the right turn.
Don't ever cross a solid double white line - you can have your driving license revoked for several years for doing so.
Don't turn right on a red light - this is illegal in Russia.
Do not allow children under the age of 12 to travel in the front seat.
When approaching circulatories ("roundabouts") incoming traffic has priority over cars already on the circulatory, who must give way to them. This is a considerable difference to many other countries, so take note. |
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| 29. | Moscow-at-a-Glance::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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Moscow-at-a-Glance
Moscow is a city of contrasts, and its fascinating history offers its inhabitants and guests a variety of adventures - business, economical, cultural, recreational and much more. Moscow is the capital of the largest European country and is situated in the heart of what is known as European Russia. Consequently, this capital city, being the epicenter of life for people of different nations and parts of the world, takes the best of east and west. Moscow has seen foreign invaders come and go. It was the capital when Mongol Tatars overran the Russian lands. The Crimean Tatars destroyed the fledgling city in 1751, as did Poles in the 17th century. During the war with Napoleon, three-quarters of the city was burned in the wake of the French occupation - but as a result, a stately Empire-era city arose in its place, still studded with the remains of the city's medieval splendour. Two further upheavals have helped shape the city's extraordinary appearance - the wave of "suprematist" monumental architecture undertaken during the "boom" period of the Communist era, and the corresponding oil-funded "rebuilding boom" that followed the fall of Communism, and continues today.
The City's Name
Moscow was named after the Moskva River (in Russian the name of the city is pronounced as "Mosk-va"). The origin of the name itself is unknown, although several theories exist. One of the theories suggests that the name originates from the ancient Finnic language, in which it means "dark" or "turbid". Yet another theory tells that the name comes from the ancient Slav language and means simply "wet". Either way, the etymology of the word is related to water.
Geographic Area & Size
The size of the city is about 1100 sq.km (425 sq.mi), with the central part of the city - over 800 sq.km (309 sq.mi) situated inside the Moscow Outer Ring Road.
Location, Streetplan, and Arterial Road Scheme
Moscow is located directly at the centre of European Russia at the northwest segment of Russia's most densely developed and populated region. The Moskva River crosses through the middle of the city and is itself a tributary of the Volga River.
Like the cross-section of a tree with its yearly rings, Moscow has grown outward from the Kremlin since the 12th century. There are five concentric "rings" that shape the city's streetplan - the most central being the former moat of the Kremlin, Moscow's medieval citadel. Beyond the Kremlin, the oldest ring is the Boulevard Ring Road; closest to the center, it contains the Kremlin within it, and the oldest part of the city. The Boulevard Ring is not a complete ring, but more a horseshoe shape with both ends terminating at the Moskva River. A middle ring road, the Garden Ring (Sadovoe Kol'tso) forms a closed circle around the downtown areas - a massive 6/8-lane highway that carries the huge bulk of Moscow's traffic, and at rush-hours becomes a gigantic circular stationary gridlock of frustrated motorists.
The city's Outer Ring Road ("MKAD" - the Moscow Circular Car Road) diverts intra-national traffic away from the city centre and was intended as a "city boundary for the 21st century" - but the city keeps expanding and some new settlements that are located outside of the MKAD also count as Moscow. The MKAD is located about 28 km (7.4 mi) from the city center and is 100 km (62 mi) long. The newest ring is called the Third Ring Road, once again forming a circle, running between the MKAD and the Garden Ring, conveniently connecting some of the densely populated but not so central parts of Moscow. Most of the Third Ring Road is built as a flyover.
Population:
Moscow city: 10.5 million (as of July 01, 2009)
Moscow region: 6.7 million (as of January 01, 2010)
The official population of Moscow slightly exceeds 10 million, but as in so many other world cities, the actual number of the population is much bigger. The whole Moscow conurbation is probably home to nearer 15 million - the discrepancy is due to official "city limits" that fail to encompass the new housing estates on the outskirts; former suburban towns which have effectively been "swallowed" by city-creep; and a huge unrecorded transient population of visitors, short-term visitors, migrant and seasonal workers, "unofficials", semi-legals and illegal immigrants, on whom there are no official stats.
The vast majority of Muscovites are ethnically and culturally Russians - well over 80%. As the country's most affluent city (unofficial estimates claim that 80% of the country's wealth is in Moscow) it is a magnet for newcomers wanting to further their careers and get the high-paying jobs on offer - many of the Russians living in Moscow have moved here from elsewhere in the country, and "native Muscovites" have a certain pride about having been born in the city.
Moscow is home to many other nationalities, especially Armenians, Georgians, Asiatic Siberians, people from the Caucasus regions and many others whose families migrated to the capital during the Soviet era, when it was all just one large country. Their cultures and languages, and especially their cuisines are all part of the rich melting-pot of Moscow life. Native-born Muscovites often have a pronounced local accent which marks them out, and which is frequently the butt of jokes made about the capital's population throughout the rest of the country.
It ought to be mentioned that there is no great love for Moscow among many Russians from other cities - who habitually associate the city with the imagined misrule and economic inequalities they blame on Moscow and its rulers. In fact, this is a historical tendency - exactly the same was said of St. Petersburg when it was the capital in the 19th century.
Climate
Moscow has a humid continental climate. The average temperature of the year is 5.4 degrees Celsius (°C), with an average temperature of -9°C in January and +18°C in July. Moscow's climate really consists of two extreme seasons: winter and summer. Spring and fall are often negligibly short.
Average temperatures are based on 30 years observation period. Table values are in degrees Celsius (°C). T,°C
Monthly average
Variations Jan
-10
-10...-9 |
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| 30. | The Russian Mind-Set::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
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The Russian Mind-Set
For most Russians, transitioning into new democracy with its associated freedoms has not been an easy task, and for many particularly members of the older generations, the change was not a welcome one. The failure of communism brought with it freedom that many were not prepared to exercise. Not all have welcomed the substantial restructuring of the social order that followed the implosion of the USSR - for mainly apolitical reasons (worsening of conditions for pensioners, state health care patients, educational institutions, cultural organizations, etc).
Russian Personality
Because the Russian personality has so many faces, it is difficult to define. Defeated by harsh weather, a tumultuous history and the general malaise that ensued, Russians seem to value the status quo and are reluctant to change. Security, stability, and conservatism were always held in high regard; but at the same time you will see new phenomena such as the absence of concern about the future, free spending and easy and quick adaptation of foreign practices in the younger generations in larger cities. Many foreigners find the Russian people an enigma - surprisingly nostalgic about their past yet cautiously optimistic about the future - patient but curious about the possibilities of freedom.
As some things in Russia are almost impossible to explain, there is a very good saying that you will hear over and over again as first response to your questions: "Rossiyu umom ne ponyat" which can be translated as "Russia cannot be understood with your mind" (a quotation from the poet Tyutchev).
Russians are strong people, able to endure hardship and extreme climate with submission and patience. Generally, Russians are very well educated and have a sound knowledge of literature, history and politics. The majority of the country's population lives in European Russia (the part of Russia lying west of the border with Siberia) with the largest population centers being Moscow and St. Petersburg. Most families have no more than one or two children, who are the center of the family focus.
The Russian people have traditionally been molded and directed from cradle to grave, creating individuals who assumed little responsibility for themselves. They are slowly learning how to take charge of their own lives, but the chasm between the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick and the skilled and the unskilled continues to widen.
Traditional Russian values and core beliefs include: love of children, respect for the old, sense of humour, strong people-orientation, importance of friendship, generosity, pride, patriotism, love of literature and arts, nostalgia, self-sacrifice, apathy, conservatism, aversion to change, caution, collectivism, pessimism and cynicism.
There is widely accepted notion in Russia that there is a "soul" that makes Russians different - a sort of sadness born of oppression that demands a different social order. Whether or not this proud melancholia is fact or fiction is arguable, but the belief is almost universally held with great pride. Acres of print have been devoted to the topic, with no very firm conclusions.
Russians love and value going to the theatre, opera, ballet and concerts. The arts are avidly devoured by all sections of society - the idea that plays or classical music could be "difficult" or unpopular is rarely encountered. They also enjoy attending readings of literature and poetry. Russians love reading everything from classical literature to translations of contemporary foreign authors. They read on the metro, while they wait, and at home. You will find that your Russian friends can easily recite entire poems or passages from their favourite books. They generally have a very good knowledge of world history, geography and the arts, and this is true regardless of the person's education or occupation.
Behaviours You May Find Puzzling
There are some behaviour patterns you may find very different from those you are used to. Some things may shock you initially, but they can usually be explained through Russia's history and your Russian friends will make efforts to help you understand why things are done the way they are. Always remember that what you consider normal behaviour may seem strange to your Russian friends.
Two things that newly arrived expatriates often find particularly troubling are the fact that Russians can seem very rude and that they rarely smile in public. Rudeness in public situations is still common. You may encounter it at supermarkets, at the post office, in public transport. Please do not let this discourage you and always remember that this is nothing personal.
Smiling at strangers is a rarity in Russia. 70 years of history taught people not to trust anybody and to guard their own territory. Just recall the famous Soviet poster "Ne Boltai" (Do not Chatter) and you will understand the roots of not smiling at unfamiliar persons. There is also an inherited notion from "village Russia" that people who smile for no reason must be simpletons. However, while people tend to be introvert or aggressive on the outside, you will find that they are extremely kind and helpful if you get beyond their first suspicion. Keep going to the same supermarket, the same bank and the same dry cleaners over and over again, keep smiling and do say "hello" and "goodbye" every time you arrive and leave - people will eventually start remembering you and most will start smile back. They are often not used to people being polite and nice to them and your efforts will be appreciated. It may just take some time, so don't give up.
Russians seem to have very different concept of what it means to stand in a line. They tend to be pushy while getting on public transport and in the metro you will find that people try to get on while others are still trying to get off. The same applies to lines at meat and cheese counters in supermarkets, where it can be difficult to figure out where the line starts and who is there first. When you go to pay utility bills at a Russian bank, you may find that when it is almost your turn one or two people show up who had "reserved" a place in the line and then took care of something else at another counter or just sit down while waiting for their turn. It is common practice to reserve a place in a line simply by telling the person in front of you "you are behind them" ("ya budu za vami"). This practice dated back to Soviet times when lines for just about everything were so long that it was impossible to get something done if you just occupied one single line.
Houses entrances, rest rooms and some other public areas may not be well cared for. You may, for example, see a beautiful apartment in a building with a dilapidated entrance and filthy staircase. In Soviet times, this was not the case: the streets and public areas were clean and littering was basically unheard of. Today people do not seem to care for anything that happens outside of the limits of their apartments. However, things are slowly starting to improve.
Drivers in Moscow are generally very aggressive, and you may find this pretty daunting if you come from a country where drivers are polite and abide by the rules. There seems a comprehensive spirit involved in driving - everybody wants to be the first one to take off from a red light.
Russians love to comment and give advice. Don't be surprised to get unsolicited advice on how to dress your children in winter or on the necessity of wearing a hat in cold winter.
People - both men and women - still drink beer in pubic. While this is not publicly frowned upon, the government is trying to change this habit, but so far the efforts have not led to any noticeable results. Restriction of shopping hours for alcohol was never previously known in Russia, but sterner measures have been introduced from 2009 onwards, mostly by individual cities - the results vary from strict (St. Petersburg, 23:00 total ban) via haphazard (Moscow region) to utterly invisible (most of the rest of the country).
While Russians devote considerable time and cost to their own personal wardrobe and grooming, they are relatively unjudgemental about others - figuring that a person' soul is the most important, and taking a very liberal line on allowing for differing customs elsewhere. An odd Soviet throwback, however, is a private habit of awarding unmentioned merit-marks to the quality and shine of the shoes other people wear. You can make a good first impression with very little effort in this field. Sports footwear is poorly regarded in general, and is often cited (by doormen) as fair reason to deny entrance to fashionable clubs or restaurants.
While Russians can be secretive when dealing with foreigners, they can also be very curious. You may find yourself in situations when people just met ask you how much money you make. In the vast majority of cases there is absolutely no criminal interest behind these questions, but you may still not want to divulge too much personal information about your family and yourself unless you know your conversation partner very well. Very often such questions arise from "fellow professionals" who are keen to know how their profession might be valued abroad.
When you come to a Russian home you will most certainly be offered tea or coffee along with something to eat. If you arrive around lunch and dinner time, you may be invited to join the family for the meal. When inviting Russian friends over your house for drinks make sure you have some good food to offer - drinks accompanied by cheese and grapes just don't do.
Concepts of Space and Personal Space
On the one hand, Russians live in the world's largest country and think big in many ways. They tend to make big plans, even if they know that they will never be able to implement them. At the same time, they usually stand very close to each other in conversation or when standing in line. This may be a remnant from the Soviet past when people had to be very careful about what they said and always made sure that no one else was listening. Standing close to each other allows you to speak more quietly and to feel that others aren't able to hear what you are talking about. When someone has something very important to tell you and you are speaking to that person over the phone, you may still hear them say that "this is not a phone conversation", meaning that they prefer to tell you in person because they are still afraid of someone else may be listening. The reason why people stand close to each other in lines is more difficult to explain. It might have something to do with a feeling of getting to the front of the line sooner as there is less distance to the "target". Touching, hugging, and kissing friends and close acquaintance is common. You may find this uncomfortable if you come from a no- or little- contact culture.
As people still pay very little money for electricity and hot water, these resources are literally wasted. Russians will do the dishes under running hot water instead of letting them soak in the sink. Nobody will complain if you take a hot shower for half an hour or a hot bath twice a day. At the same time that electricity is still very cheap, Russians seem to prefer dim lighting. You will notice this in the metro, on the streets, in staircase, and even in people's homes where the lighting could often be a lot brighter. Street lights are not very bright, and often entire yards have no lighting for weeks on end.
These days light bulbs in public areas of apartment buildings usually have to be replaced by residents, who are often hesitant about replacing something that is not for their own use exclusively. If you want the housing department or your neighbours to replace the broken light bulbs, you may be in for a very long (and dark) wait. If you encounter such a problem in your apartment building, just buy some light bulbs and replace the broken ones - Russia has no laws (yet) on expensive energy-saving bulbs, and regular clear-glass bulbs cost just pennies. You may win the friendship or respect of your neighbours if you occasionally mop the landing area between the lift and your door.
FAVOURITE RUSSIAN PASTIMES
Dacha
Dacha is a term that refers to a summerhouse and can stand for pretty much everything from a small wooden shack without running water, gas or electricity to a lavish multi-story house in the countryside. While not everyone has a dacha, most people have relatives, neighbours or friends who do, and everyone who can normally jump at the opportunity to leave the city on weekends and escape to cleaner air and nature. Dachas are usually big projects that require the involvement of the entire family. Most dachas are not used in winter, but as soon as the last snow has gone people set out to repair and prepare their dachas for the coming summer. The majority of people who have even a small plot of land still plant vegetables and herbs at their dacha and many also have apple trees and berries. These of course require constant maintenance all the way to late autumn when the plots and trees have to be prepared for the coming winter. In short, a dacha is often not a place to relax and lie in the sun but rather a second full-time job.
Shashlyki
Shashlyki (barbecues) are a very popular activity on summer weekends when Russians often invite friends to their dacha for a barbecue.
Banya
Over the centuries, the Russian banya (bath house) has served people not only as a place where they could clean themselves, but also as a place for restoring health. It is believed that by visiting the banya many health problems can be cured. Among other positive effects, the steam in the banya helps expel fat from the body, restores the tonus of blood vessels and clean pores.
The difference between the Russian banya and the Finnish sauna lies in the kind of steam. The steam in the Russian banya is humid, and in order to reach the best effect, hot water is poured onto hot stones. The temperature inside a Russian banya can reach 60°C (140°F). The steam in a Finnish sauna, on the other hand, is dry, and the temperature can reach up to 100°C (212°F). After having spent some time in the steam room, banya visitors will jump into a pool with gold water as a kind of contrast treatment.
A very important banya attribute is the "venik" (a kind of broom made from dried birch, oak or fir branches and leaves), which banya visitors beach each other with. Apart from a positive effect on health, the banya also is a place where friends get together to relax. While at the banya, Russians like to drink beer, which is often accompanied by "vobla" - a kind of dried fish. Sometimes people have too much fun at the banya - a great example of this is provided in the very funny and highly recommended Soviet comedy "The Irony of Fate".
Mushroom Collecting
It is a tradition dating back to ancient times. Russia has a lot of forest areas where different kinds of mushrooms grow in abundance. While mushrooms have always been an important component of the national diet, they have also become a substitute for meat during the Orthodox Christian Lent. Over 200 kinds of edible mushrooms grow in Russia. Apart from protein and fats, mushrooms also contain a number of minerals such as iron, calcium, and zinc. However, there are also about 25 poisonous types of mushrooms in Russia, so unless you are very experienced you should never collect and consume mushrooms without consulting with an expert in this field. You can tell that mushroom season has arrived when you see them being sold outside metro stations. While you should never collect and consume mushrooms that grow in Moscow or within a 30 km radius of the city, the Moscow region is considered relatively safe.
A mushroom collecting trip usually involves a long car or train ride to ecologically clean area outside Moscow. If you want to get there before others do, you have to leave home in the wee hours of morning. Remember that forest areas are very popular with mosquitoes so make sure you bring sufficient amounts of mosquito repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts. The most common kind of edible mushrooms are chanterelle, oyster mushrooms, porcini and yellow boletus. A mushroom-hunting trip is often an excuse for a fun trip to the country, and if you fail to find any you can always quietly buy some from sellers at the roadside, and claim you found them yourself. Be ready to cook them into dishes or freeze them when you get home - they won't keep more than a day without spoiling. The same trip can also be a good chance to pick some forest wild berries - blackberries, redcurrants, and many others flourish within just an hour of the city limits.
Cross-Country Skiing
It is a very popular winter activity that often the whole family participates in. Children learn this sport at school from an early age. You can engage in cross-country skiing in any of Moscow's larger parks.
Fishing
While you will see people fishing in the Moskva River, fishing is not recommended in Moscow due to highly polluted rivers and ponds. You can however go fishing at any of the larger water reservoirs river parts outside of town.
Grandchildren
Grandchildren are a very popular activity for any grandmother (and grandfather). It is very common in Russia for grandparents to take care of their grandchildren while their parents are at work. They will take the children for walks, take them to the playground, to/from kindergarten or school, will cook them lunch, and often even supervise their homework assignments. Many grandchildren spend the entire summer at their grandparents' dacha, giving the parents some time for themselves. While this may seem very convenient, it sometimes results in problems as parents and grandparents often have very different ideas on how to best raise a child. Russians traditionally lived in extended families in one big house until very recently, and many of the grandparents involved will have been raised in that way.
Ice Swimming
It is a less common, but nevertheless very interesting pastime. An extreme way of keeping fit, the ice swimmers (called "morzhi" - walruses in Russian) are very proud of their "sport" and consider it a way of life. Even babies and toddlers are subjected to short immersion in ice cold water to make them strong, and may people in their 70s and 80s still regularly engage in this invigorating activity on a regular basis. The roots of ice swimming date back to pre-revolutionary times and have links to the Russian Orthodox Church as a way of cleaning sin. Every winter during religious festivals, worshippers would submerge themselves in icy waters to erase all sins from their bodies. For contemporary "morzhi", however, ice swimming is part of everyday life rather than a religious practice. When ice forms on lakes and rivers, these enthusiastic sportsmen will cut swimming holes in the ice that are carefully maintained so that bathing is possible throughout the winter. Each session is very short but a challenging experience for the uninitiated. If you want to try ice swimming, please consult with your doctor before jumping into the icy water. While this is a stimulating and energizing activity, it can easily send your body into spasms and causes severe joint ache.
New Russians: Who are They?
As a result of the changes this country has undergone since the early 1990s, a class of so-called "new Russians" has developed. These people acquired a lot of wealth very quickly (whether legally or not is another question) and have become somewhat conspicuous consumers. Very western in their dress and manner, these new captains of Russian commerce are demanding and getting the attention of others who are not in the same position. People who do not belong to this circle of the chosen few usually (and understandably) do not approve of their flamboyance.
These are very influential people purchasing prime property in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, France, and many other countries along with soccer clubs and other sports teams. If they don't own an airplane, they will fly first class. They go on dream vacations while their children attend top European private schools and universities. The best customers of Moscow's five-star hotels are Russians - not foreign businessmen.
While many wealthy people abroad try not to show off their wealth in public, rich Russians still like to show what they have and can afford - a habit that isn't always advantageous for them. You will see an amazing number of very expensive foreign cars in Moscow's streets and you may be stunned at the suburban houses these people build - complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, bodyguards and housing for staff. While the gap between rich and poor in Russia is getting wider all the time, recent years have seen the development of a small middle class. Its members are characterized by a good education, relatively well-paying jobs and entrepreneurial spirit.
With all it luxurious new VIP residential buildings, expensive stores and restaurants, you may be under the impression that people in Moscow are quite well off. In reality this is not the case. While the country's elite tends to settle in Moscow and there are a lot of rich people living here, the majority of Muscovites (and those in the rest of Russia) are struggling very hard just to feed and clothe themselves and their families. And just as New York isn't the USA, Moscow isn't Russia. If you want to see what the real Russia is like, you have to travel to the provinces and villages outside of Moscow, in Siberia and the Far East - although these regions have their own "new rich" too.
ATTITUDES
General Attitudes
The mindset of the younger Russian generation is not as much pro-anything, as it is anti-communist. Difficult times and general uncertainty are accompanied by the feeling that democracy is better. This does not mean that Russians are not complaining. While they are critical of the slow pace reform and of the new leaders, they are nonetheless loyal and optimistic about the future of their country.
Making the transition from a society completely dependent upon the state to one in which the individual shares responsibility has been a very difficult and traumatic process for Russia and her people, and the Russians don't yet seem to have a clear picture of their selves. The demise of communism has hugely affected life in Russia, and the sometimes-halting democracy that has taken its place is still developing. Under communist rule, the State was responsible for everything - even for piffling things. Today people must make decisions and take responsibility for them - not an easy task for those who have been raised to follow, not to lead.
Attitudes in the Workplace
The older generation of Russians - although for the most part well-educated, hard-working and disciplined - is a product of the communist system in which workers were not rewarded for personal incentives nor punished for being non-productive. Not having been raised to "get ahead" and to amass personal fortunes, they may respect these traits in foreigners but generally abhor them in their Russian colleagues. You may hear the phrase "initiative is punishable" from members of the older generations and it can be difficult to convince them that personal initiative and doing your own thinking is not only welcomed, but is a necessity in the new Russia.
The attitudes of the younger generations are for most part, very different. Achievements in the workplace are highly regarded. You will find many highly trained young Russians who, on top of having an excellent education, speak fluent English and/or other foreign languages. Many choose to further their education and qualifications voluntarily at evening classes at their own expense.
Attitudes toward Foreigners
Russians generally respect and admire the business expertise and technology skills and tools of European, North American and Asian companies and are interested in doing business with them.
In some quarters Russians tend to blame Western influence for the hard times brought about by reform. The economic disparity between foreigners and themselves may also raise the hurdle of understanding. Russians have historically feared and distrusted foreigners, but today's foreign community in Moscow lives in relative harmony with the locals. Some Russians may respect their presence, but most appreciate the efforts of foreigners to modernize the local economy.
While Russians are well aware of the fact that things in Russia aren't perfect, they do not appreciate it when foreigners criticize their country, or boast excessively about the alleged superiority of their homelands. Very often questions about how things are managed overseas will actually be a delicate appeal for some positive comments about how things are by comparison in Russia - a tactful reply, without toadying, will be appreciated. It is useful to have some pre-prepared compliments about some neutral topics - the affordability and frequency of public transport, the low cost of public amenities, etc.
Attitudes towards Women
The communists maintained the equal status of men and women in the classless society, and many women had (and still have) the dual responsibility of adding to family income through a full-time job and of caring (shopping, cooking, cleaning) for the family. In the workplace opportunities for women have been slow to surface. While women in Russia have always had the opportunity to pursue higher education and many have at least one degree, they do not typically fill leadership positions yet.
Foreigners working in Russia often find that Russian women who have reached managerial positions are more serious, harder working and more creative than their male counterparts. However, radical changes must occur for the Russian mentality to accept women in positions superior to men. The male network in business is unwilling to allow women to progress.
Foreign businesswomen might encounter some resistance. Conservative dress and demeanour and a serious attitude will be helpful in dealing with Russian men, keeping a certain distance rather than being too friendly is advisable. It is also best to ignore the inequality between the sexes that exists in Russia, instead behaving as if business were transacted in the west.
Men are still the "dominant" gender in Russia and many Russians are uncomfortable with very strong women. A woman who stays aloof will be respected, whereas overly friendly behaviour may be misinterpreted.
Attitudes towards Human Rights
Although the 1993 Constitution guarantees basic human rights, the progress toward internationally-recognized human rights for all citizens is by far not yet complete. Large gains have been made on the domestic side, but abuses have been reported within the military and police forces. Conditions in Russia detention facilities are far below acceptable standards. While reforms are ongoing, the process is slow.
Attitudes toward the Disabled
Moscow and Russia on the whole is not a great place for physically disabled or mentally challenged children and adults. If you have a child with a severe physical or mental disability, you should think twice before moving to Moscow.
Generally attitudes toward disabled people in Russia aren't very good. As there aren't many opportunities for the disabled, they usually stay at home. You will, therefore, hardly ever encounter disabled people on the streets. It is not uncommon to encounter disabled people begging on public transport - particularly military veterans. You may want to prioritise generosity over any feelings of "patronizing" them - they get little other help in their lives.
State assistance to people with disabled family members is very limited. Consequently, a large proportion of women who give birth to a disabled child decide to give it up right after the child is born. These children are then condemned to a sad existence in state-run orphanages and will receive little to no physical or mental development support.
Educational opportunities for disabled children and adults are extremely limited. Even the private foreign schools in Moscow will only accept children with very minor disabilities. It is almost impossible to get around Moscow physically in a wheelchair as building entrances; sidewalks and public transportation are mostly not wheelchair-friendly.
Russian Names and Titles
Russian names have three parts: a first name (forename), a so-called "patronymic" middle name, and a surname. The "patronymic" derives from the father's name followed by the suffixes. These are "evich" or "ovich" for a son (meaning son of) or "evna" or "ovna" for a daughter (meaning daughter of). Example: A woman's full name might be Tatiana Ivanovna Smirnova. This means that her father's first name was Ivan. Her brothers' name could be Sergey Ivanovich Smirnov. Patronymics refer strictly to the child's biological father, and would not change on the mother's remarriage, on adoption, etc. (In the old Russian villages, where perhaps just 2-3 families and their descendants made up the whole village (the law forbade peasants to leave their owner's employ or land - so people didn't travel) a person's surname was almost immaterial - it was more useful to say you were "Pavel, Ivan's son", or "Irina, Ilya's daughter" by way of introduction.)
An "a" is added to the end of most (but not all) surnames of Russian females.
It is common and considered polite to address people you do not know very well and/or that are older than you by their first name and patronymic. Russians rarely refer to each other by their first and last names, although some - especially the younger generation - will call each other by their last names. You might hear children shout something like "Hey Smirnova" or "Hey Smirnov". If you are trying to find someone and only know that person's first and last name, you can ask for "Gospozha Tatiana Smirnova" (Mrs. Tatiana Smirnova) or "Gospodin Sergey Smirnov" (Mr. Sergey Smirnov).
A Russian woman usually adopts her husband's last name after marriage, but there are exceptions.
Common female names are Anna (Anya), Ekaterina (Katya), Elena (Lena), Irina (Ira), Yulia (Yulya), Maria (Masha), Natalia (Natasha), Olga (Olya), Svetlana (Sveta), Tatiana (Tanya), etc. Names of females are often altered even further, especially in terms of endearment between close friends. Thus Masha can turn into Mashenka, Lena into Lenochka, and Anya into Anyuta. Lyuba can become Lyubochka, and Yulia is often called Yulka or Yulechka. Coining these "pet-name" versions is an art in itself, and the mutual freedom to use them is considered part of the friendship bonding process. You may find your own (foreign) name converted to a nickname version - don't be offended, it is a sign of warm friendship.
Common male names are Alexander (Sasha, Shura, Sanya), Dmitry (Dima), Eugeny (Zhenya), Ivan (Vanya), Mikhail (Misha), Nikolai (Kolya), Sergey (Seryozha), Victor (Vitya), Vladimir (Volodya, Vova), etc. Often the names in parentheses are shortened even further, Seryozha can turn into Seryozh or Seryoga, Mikhail into Mish or Misha.
A modern friendly jokey way of referring to friends (rather than merely "colleagues") at work (but not superiors!) is to employ 19th century habit of using a shortened version of their patronymic - the way 19th century employers would talk to their servants. Thus Nikolai Ivanovich might be "Ivanych" to his work chums, and "Elena Ivanovna" might be "Ivanovna". Wait until you are proficient in Russian before using this in practice. If you can pull it off in practice, it will win you friends. Obviously it has to be done with a sense of fun - or it would cause offence.
The shortened names given in parentheses are commonly used, but you should never use them without asking permission. Not every Elizaveta wants to be called Lisa and not every Vladimir likes being addressed as Vova - it would be considered as "excessive familiarity". Beware of using them to people "lower in the pecking order" than yourself - you might end up patronizing people instead of befriending them as you hoped.
The shortened names Sasha and Zhenya are used for both females and males.
Another important thing to remember is that the Russian language - much like French and German - has two separate pronouns for the second person singular, differing in degrees of politeness. Technically, there are two words for the second person singular: "ty", which is used in the same sense as the French "tu" and the German "du"; and "Vy". Note that this word starts with a capital letter, which is similar to the French "Vous" and the German "Sie". Except for children you should never address anybody with the personal "ty" without asking for their permission. The word for the second person plural pronoun is also "vy" but it is spelled with a small letter.
The best way to avoid unpleasant situation is to ask individuals how they would like to be addressed. If you would like to address someone as "ty" instead of "Vy", you should ask "Mozhno na ty?" ("Can I call you "you"?")
The most common form of address in today's international office environment is first names in combination with the formal "Vy"; colleagues occupying the same rank may also use the personal "ty".
Russian Customs, Etiquette, and Popular Superstitions
Even if you are not planning to be in Russia for long, you should make every effort to learn at least a few basic words and phrases in Russian. You colleagues, neighbours, friends, and others will be impressed and the gesture will be highly appreciated. Russians generally consider their language to be a very difficult one for foreigners to learn. With the exception of your Russian teacher, they will not expect you to become fluent in Russian, but they will be amazed if you are able to carry on a simple conversation a few months after your arrival.
Even if you fail to learn much Russian, learning the alphabet (there are only 31 letters plus two silent symbols) will make a quantum improvement in your ability to move around independently. Russian is laden with imported words from other languages - once you can decode the letters, these words ("bar", "restoran", "stadion", "musey") appear to you, as if by magic.
Never shake hands with or kiss someone over the threshold of the doorstep or you will quarrel with this person (an old superstition).
Take off your gloves when shaking hands.
Returning home if you forgot something brings back luck. If it happens that you must return for something, looking in a mirror before leaving again dispels the "bad luck".
Before leaving the house on a trip, it is customary to sit down on one's suitcase for a minute or so to reflect on the trip (silently, for 4-5 seconds) and to recall whether you have forgotten anything.
It you are not married, never sit down at the corner of a square table. If you do, you will not get married for seven years.
Spitting three times over your left shoulder prevents bad luck. (You my hear Russians say "tfu-tfu-tfu" - a "spitting" incantation against bad luck.) So does knocking on wood.
Do not put your hands in your pockets.
Do not sit with your legs wide apart.
Do not cross your legs with the ankle on the knee or put your feet on the table. It is considered impolite to show others the soles of your shoes.
Whistling is regarded as a sure way to guarantee that you will soon part with all your money.
Never light a cigarette from a candle. This is also said to bring bad luck.
Never pour wine backhanded. It is impolite and also signifies that you will "pour" your money away.
If you spit salt on the table, you will be plagued by bad luck unless you throw three pinches of salt over your left shoulder immediately.
Always bring a gift for the hostess if invited into a Russian home. A box of candy and/or flowers are traditional gifts for the hostess, as is a bottle of good wine, cognac or vodka for the host. Arriving "with empty hands" is considered the poorest manners.
Never give an even number of flowers to someone - even numbers are for funerals only!
When entering a Russian home, offer to take off your shoes. In most cases your host will provide you with slippers (called "tapochki" in Russian).
Be prepared to accept smoking.
Be prepared to accept all food and alcohol when visiting friends. Refusing a drink or toast is a serious breach of etiquette. An open bottle often has to be finished. However, Russians will understand if you do not drink at all (e.g. for health reasons or because of religious beliefs, or because you have to drive later).
Be prepared to give toasts at dinners and presentations. Do not say "Na Zdoroviye" ("To your health" - this is actually a toast only in Poland) - the correct form is "Vashe Zdoroviye" ("Your health"). Russian toasts can be very long and elaborate. For birthdays, weddings and other important events, friends and colleagues often write poems for the person they wish to congratulate. You don't have to do that of course, but it helps to be prepared to at least say a few sentences. While the toast is being sad, do not continue eating or drinking. You are expected to listen, regardless of the length of the speech. An easy and amusing toast a foreigner can make is that the host's fame has spread abroad, and they are now known in your country too. Chinking glasses with everyone else (or as far as you can reach) is considered usual.
At birthday parties, by tradition, all the toasts are to some aspect of the birthday boy/girl - try to think of some witty compliments. There may often be a toast to their parents, "who gave him/her to us" - even if they aren't present. If one or other of the parents is no longer alive, you don't chink glasses for this toast.
If you plan on visiting a Russian Orthodox Church, dress conservatively (no shirt skirts or shorts). Women must cover their hair before entering the church, so bring a headscarf. Men, on the other hand, must remove headwear (hats, caps). Some extremely severe monasteries may insist on women donning a wraparound long skirt - if so, these will be provided on free loan at the gateway entrance, and using them is obligatory. Better to wait outside if you don't wish to respect their dress code requirements.
On public transportation, younger men and women should give up their seat to mothers with small children, pregnant women and elderly people. Certain seats may be marked for the use of these categories of people anyhow.
Men should offer to carry parcels and heavy bags for women they accompanying. This is local custom, regardless of what you may be used to or believe in at home.
That conveniently free seat on the jam-packed tram or bus is for the conductor - you are not allowed to sit there!
When going to the theatre or a concert, you are expected to check your coat and any larger bags at the coat check. When squeezing past others into your seat, take care to face them as you pass - doing it "the way you are used to" is regarded as "shoving your ass in their face" in Russia, and is a social no-no.
Always emphasize the good and the beautiful things you like in Moscow and Russia, try not to criticize and compare. Russians know that there are a lot of problems in this country, but they are also very proud of their history and culture. They will highly appreciate it if you show them that you like it here - or at least like some of it!
Small gifts are much appreciated. Keep a list of people who have been nice and helpful to you, such as your concierge, parking lot attendant, your favourite vendor at the supermarket, a friendly neighbour, etc. Give them a small gift such as a box of chocolate or candy or a small souvenir from your home country for major holidays, such as New Year's. Only women are given gifts on March 8th and flowers will be much appreciated, along with a nice card. Pretty calendars and company gifts such as coffee mugs and pens are also good. And, of course, don't forget about your driver, nanny, housekeeper and other friendly helpers. Along with a "real" gift, they will also appreciate a cash bonus.
Along with your baggage, bring a good amount of patience, sympathy, tolerance, and your sense of humour. These should get you through most difficulties. Russians are used to long centuries of foreigners bringing their eccentric habits and peculiarities with them to Russia - and they will tolerate almost any accidental indiscretions if you can manage a friendly grin as you commit them.
Based on the materials from the book "Living in Moscow" by Barbara Spier. |
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| 31. | Old English Court Chambers
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Old English Court Chambers
Web: www.mosmuseum.ru
Open: Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00,
Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Fri of each month. |
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| 32. | Albion Gallery
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Albion Gallery
Web: www.antik.msk.ru
Open: Mon-Sat 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Sunday.
Gallery, antiques for sale, auctions.
Consultations in Russian, English, German and French. |
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| 33. | International School of Moscow
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International School of Moscow
English National Curriculum. Open for 2-12 year olds. Native English speaking teachers. French, Russian. |
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| 34. | Stary Angliisky Dvor (Old English Court)
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Stary Angliisky Dvor (Old English Court)
Constructed in 15th century. Used to be a
residency of the English Moscow Trading
Company and later of the British Embassy.
Medieval interiors.
Open: 10:00-18:00.
Closed: Mon, the last Fri of each month. |
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| 35. | Cooperation School
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Cooperation School
English immersion nursery and kindergarten for children 2,5 – 7 years old. New Preschool in the centre of Moscow. Native English-speaking teachers and British national curriculum ( EYFS, KS1). Newly-constructed building with spacious classrooms, swimming pool and observatory. Russian lessons on request. No entrance fee! |
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| 36. | English Preschool
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English Preschool
Modern leading English preschool, it is equipped with great native teachers, methods, facilities with based American curriculum IPC and other teaching tools. Small groups aged 2-7 y.o., Full time/ part time stay/ Mini Discovery programms offered. Additionally: ballet classes, nap time, lunch provided. 9:00-19:00. |
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| 37. | Russian Costume Museum
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Russian Costume Museum
Web: www.kremlin-izmailovo.com
Excursions in English are available.
Open: 09:00-21:00. |
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| 38. | 5life
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5life
Hip-Hop, R'n'B, Street Jazz. English-speaking teacher. |
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| 39. | The British International School
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The British International School
The British International School has successfully worked in the field of educational services in Russia for the past 27 years, providing a first-class education in the best traditions of British schools. It is accredited by the Council of British International Schools. At present the BIS consists of 6 schools located in different areas of Moscow: in the North (Voikovskaya Metro Station) and in the South (Profsoyuznaya and Novoyasenevskaya Metro Stations). The programme in 5 BIS schools is based upon the English National Curriculum. These schools are staffed by highly qualified specialists from the United Kingdom and other English speaking countries. Children of 65 nationalities, aged from 3 to 18 years study there. The British International School has been offering the International Baccalaureate and A-level programmes. |
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| 40. | Simply Angelic
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Simply Angelic
Full time, live-in English-speaking nannies, governesses to families overseas including Moscow. |
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| 41. | Tigerlily Childcare
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Tigerlily Childcare
Providing English speaking nannies, governesses, housekeepers and maternity nurses to Expat and International families in Moscow. |
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| 42. | Magic World Kindergarten
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Magic World Kindergarten
Open for 2-7 year olds. English, French, Russian, art-aesthetic programs, physical development. Psychologist. speech therapy classes. |
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| 43. | P'tit Cref
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P'tit Cref
Trilingual centers (Russia, English, French) for preschool children. Native-speaking teachers, psychologist, speech therapist, extra-activities, workshops. |
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| 44. | Znaika
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Znaika
Half-day /full-day nursery, primary and secondary school. For children from 2 up to 17 years old. Small groups and classes. Native English-speaking and Russian teachers.
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| 45. | Moscow School No. 45
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Moscow School No. 45
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme. English language from the first grade. |
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| 46. | BritishStaff
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BritishStaff
Help to find English nannies, governesses, teachers. Only qualified staff. Services of Filipino nannies and housekeepers with legal documents. |
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| 47. | Feya (Fairy)
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Feya (Fairy)
Old Russian agency offers multi-language: nannies & governesses, housekeepers & drivers, gardeners etc. Trained domestic staff in Moscow since 2003. Speak English. |
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| 48. | Chitaika Children’s Center
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Chitaika Children’s Center
Preschool educational center and mini-nursery. Small groups. Open for 1,5-7 year olds. Classes in Russian and English. |
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| 49. | Expat Salon
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Expat Salon
Children's haircut for children under the age of 12. English-speaking hairdressers. Cartoons to keep a child busy. Coffee, tea, magazines. No smoking policy. Open: 09:00-21:00. |
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| 50. | Slavic Anglo American School
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Slavic Anglo American School
Elementary, middle, high school. Open for 6-17 year olds.International staff. English and Russian are the working languages. German, French. |
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| 51. | Volnorez Break-Dance School
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Volnorez Break-Dance School
Various locations. Break-dance, funk styles. Good English is spoken. Pupils from different countries. |
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| 52. | Museum "Moscow Lights"
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Museum "Moscow Lights"
All kinds of lamps, street lamps, lanterns.
Excursions in English are available.
Open: (excursions) 09:00-19:00,
(individual visitors) 11:00-17:00. |
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| 53. | Hinkson Christian Academy
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Hinkson Christian Academy
Elementary and secondary English language educational institution established to serve primarily expatriate Christian missionary families. The philosophical and religious orientation is from a Biblical world-view of life. |
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| 54. | All-Russian Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
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All-Russian Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
Woodworks, old Russian costumes,
headdresses, samovars, ivory, bronze,
malachite and lacquer miniature, porcelain,
glassware (18th-20th centuries).
Excursions in English are available.
Open: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun 10:00-18:00.
Sat 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Tue, the last Mon of each month. |
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| 55. | Tchik Tchik
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Tchik Tchik
The first American style children's hair salon in Moscow. Patient, child-friendly hairdressers. Specialized children's chairs. Cartoons (in French, English, Russian) and video games. Open: 10:00-19:00. By appointment only. |
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| 56. | Britannia School
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Britannia School
British education for 1.5-7 year olds. The teachers are native English speakers and children from different countries. Britannia School follows British Yearly Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. |
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| 57. | Piccolo School
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Piccolo School
Private bilingual kindergarten for children 2-7 years old. Open: 24 hours. Small groups and classes. Full-time and part-time groups.
Native English-speaking and Russian teachers. Art, music, dance, fitness, yoga, theatre. |
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| 58. | St. Louis Catholic Church
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St. Louis Catholic Church
Services in English, French, Russian, Latin, Polish, and Vietnamese. First Holy Communion classes and Confirmation classes. To sign up, or to request more information, please write at contact@saintlouisinmoscow.ru. |
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| 59. | Baby Club
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Baby Club
Preschool educational center and part-time nursery in the city centre. Small groups. Activities for babies from 8 to 24 months, for toddlers from 2 to 4 y.o., preschool classes from 4 to 6 y.o. Art and art history, dancing, music, chess from 2 to 12 y.o. Special English language classes with native speaker from 2 to 12 y.o. Working hours 10:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday. Open all summer long. |
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| 60. | English International School (EIS)
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English International School (EIS)
British owned, managed and staffed. For children from 3 up to 17 years old. Based on British National curriculum adapted for international classes. EIS Moscow East for children aged 3-17, EIS Moscow West (age 3-12), EIS Moscow South-West (age 3-11). |
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| 61. | Museum of Russian Chocolate History
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Museum of Russian Chocolate History
A fascinating journey into the World and Russian history of chocolate. A chocolate shop and a chocolate studio are located near the entrance to the museum. The standard admission tickets include four tastings, visitors can also mold their own chocolate. Kids love it (and parents too!). Guided tours in English, French and Russian are available. Open: Tue-Sun 11:00–19:00. Closed: Mon. |
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| 62. | Creative Workshops
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Creative Workshops
Creative Workshops for children of all ages. Classes - painting, collage, modelling, animation, audio- and video editing, wool fulling, theatre. Weekends – concerts, puppet shows. Free schedule. Full-time stay is available (lunch at Tsurtsum cafe, walks, exhibitions or football). Masters - artists, musicians, professionally trained teachers. English-speaking children are regular guests. Newcomers are welcome. |
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| 63. | Smilik
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Smilik
Montessori Preschool in the city centre. Part time places for children (3-6 y.o.) Full time nursery. Activities for babies from 8 to 12 months and for toddlers from 1 to 3 y.o. Each session has different emphasis e.g. arts and crafts, dancing, music, sensorial, play, theatre, logic, world around us. Cultures and customs of the children are respected and promoted. Carefully organized child-centered environment. Independence and freedom of choice are emphasized, along with individualized attention by English-speaking teachers. Open all summer long. |
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| 64. | Russian State Children's Library
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Russian State Children's Library
Holds the largest repository of literature for children from one to fifteen years. There is a dozen and a half of subscribers' departments and reading halls and various kinds of entertainment and diversion, which open the children's eyes wide such as the room of fairy tales, the literary drawing-room, the music drawing-room in this vast specially designed building. Many studios, hobby groups and clubs work in the library, where boys and girls of various age indulge in drawing, sculping, playing on the stage, discussing books and writing themselves. There is a great department of the literature of foreign languages (more than 20). The stock of literature in English, French and Deutch is the largest. |
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| 67. | Taxi Wi-Fi
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Taxi Wi-Fi
Airport transfer and taxi service. English-speaking operators. Online booking. Receipts in English on first demand. Online order in English. |
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| 68. | The Vip Moscow Taxi
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The Vip Moscow Taxi
Reliable, low-cost, English speaking taxi/transfer service. All Moscow airports including Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo at any time of day at no extra charge. English-, Turkish- French, Russian -speaking operators. Online order. English version of the website. |
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| 69. | Martex
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Martex
English-speaking operators. Online order (English version of the website). |
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| 70. | New Yello Company
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New Yello Company
English-speaking operators. Online order (English version of the website). |
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| 71. | Moskva
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Moskva
Novels in English, Sci-Fi in English, English classics, children's books, non-fiction, detective stories. Books in Spanish, Italian, French, German and other languages. The shop at Tverskaya street opens from 10:00 until 01:00 daily, the shop at Vozdvizhenka street opens twenty-four hours a day. |
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| 72. | English Baby Club
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English Baby Club
Russian kindergarten for children from 1,6-2 years. English speaking staff and native speakers. |
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| 73. | City-Mobil
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City-Mobil
English-, Italian- and French-speaking operators. Online order (English version of the website). |
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| 74. | Gorodskoe Taxi
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Gorodskoe Taxi
English-speaking operators. Online order (English version of the website). Cash and credit cards. |
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| 75. | English School Sunny plus
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English School Sunny plus
Russian & English language courses. General and Business. All levels. Individual or group study. Corporate classes. |
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| 76. | Welcome Taxi
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Welcome Taxi
24hrs airport transfer and taxi service. Low rates (transfer to any airport 1200 RUB). English- and Italian-speaking operators. English- French- German- and Italian-speaking drivers. Online booking. Receipts in English on first demand. |
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| 77. | AAA English from English
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AAA English from English
Native speaking qualified teachers from the UK. Small groups - 6 to 8 students. Smart boards. 485 roubles group. Individual lessons from 750 per hour. |
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| 78. | Munro Productions
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Munro Productions
English-Russian company. Video production services across Russia. English-speaking crews with equipment. News, documentaries, music videos, promos. |
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| 79. | Little Angels
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Little Angels
An International English medium kindergarten for children ages 18 months to 6+years with French/Russian language optional. All our teachers are professionally qualified experienced native English speakers. |
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| 80. | Playschool Moscow
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Playschool Moscow
Accredited Preschool and Kindergarten programmes for children ages 2.5 to 6.5 y.o. with native English speaking teachers. Afternoon English club, baby club, afterschool activities. |
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| 81. | Biblio-Globus
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Biblio-Globus
English books. Books online (online version of the store). Novels in English. Textbooks. Open from 9:00 until 21:00 daily, from 10:00 on Sat, from 10:00 until 20:00 on Sun. |
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| 82. | English Nursery School
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English Nursery School
British Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum based programme. Native English speaking teachers. Nursery (3-4 years), reception class (4-6 years) |
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| 83. | Smile English School
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Smile English School
Smile English School (est. 2012) can help with getting working visa for teaching in Russia, organizing it quickly and for a reasonable price. Business visa as well for a short-term visit or is you are fine with leaving the country every 3 months. |
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| 84. | Expat Barbers
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Expat Barbers
Gents hair dressing and cutting service in English. Barber services to western standards and prices. All the barbers are fully qualified and experienced in western gets hair services and speak English fluently. All the services are by appointment only. |
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| 85. | ESL
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ESL
All vehicles are insured and free of unconditional franchise and daily mileage limits. Managers speak fluent English, and the rental agreement is made both in Russian and English. Office is located 10 mins drive from Sheremetyevo airport. All vehicles are brand new and are equipped with full comfort set: automatic-climate-control, CD/Radio with steering wheel controls, fully electric windows and mirrors, etc. |
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| 86. | P'titCREF
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P'titCREF
Trilingual kindergarten, where kids flourish in three languages and cultures with teachers-native speakers (English, French and Russian). P’titCREF1905 welcomes children of all nationalities from 2 to 7 years old. Small groups, cozy environment and spacious, secure park! During summer and other holidays the school is functioning as a camp, offering to kids fascinating leisure time full of excursions, interesting projects and workshops and much more in English and French. |
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| 87. | LingoTaxi
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LingoTaxi
Expat-run taxi and transfer service for tourists, business people and everybody in Moscow and St. Petersburg. From city rides to airport transfers, city tours and chauffeur service. The complete service - from dispatching/booking till drivers - is compelety in English. All drivers speak at least fluent English, but there are drivers speaking Spanish, German, French and Romanian - for free, already included in mostly fixed fares. |
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| 88. | Shiny
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Shiny
Shiny is an innovative booking platform for connecting individuals looking for household services with English-speaking top-quality, fully vetted and trained professional cleaners. With a seamless 60-second booking process, and secure payment, Shiny is the easiest, most convenient way to book home services in Moscow. Shiny Customer Service is available in Russian, English, German, Italian and French. Get 30% off the first clean with a promo code "Expat.ru". |
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| 89. | Yoga on Maroseika
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Yoga on Maroseika
Mr. Iyengar's yoga. Certificates issued by Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Puna (India). Several levels of classes, depending on the level of practitioner, special classes for women, private lessons, advanced classes and classes in English and French. English and French-speaking teacher Sergey Makharadze teaches yoga since 1990. |
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| 90. | Angel Taxi
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Angel Taxi
English-speaking operators and drivers in Moscow's premier taxi dispatching per-km service with over 1000 drivers in Moscow and over 200 drivers in St. Pete. Individual tours in English around Moscow, Sergiev Posad, Golden Ring. "Standard", "Comfort", "Business". Intercity trips from Moscow and St. Pete across Russia. Corporate events, cost-efficient and cost-manageable corporate taxi. |
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| 91. | The International School of Moscow (ISM)
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The International School of Moscow (ISM)
The International School of Moscow (ISM) offers a contemporary English international education to students aged from 2 to 18, from Early Years through to Sixth Form. The School has a student body of over 1000 and boasts more than 60 nationalities. The programme is based on the English National Curriculum (ENC), which offers the highly respected GCSE and A Level qualifications for older students. The school is a member of Nord Anglia Education, a growing network of 69 schools established across the globe. |
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| 94. | Molodaya Gvardiya
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Molodaya Gvardiya
English books. Open from 09:00 until 21:00, Sun from 10:00 until 20:00. |
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| 97. | Safari Lodge
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Safari Lodge
Open: 21:00-06:00
English-speaking stuff |
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| 99. | Taxi Pilot
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Taxi Pilot
English-speaking operators and drivers. |
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| 102. | Taxi 232
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Taxi 232
Some English-speaking operators. Online order. |
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| 103. | Formula Taxi
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Formula Taxi
English-speaking operators. Online order. |
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| 104. | Dog School Moscow
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Dog School Moscow
English-speaking dog trainer teaches you and your dog how to communicate. |
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| 105. | Taxi Europe
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Taxi Europe
English-speaking operator. Online order. |
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| 106. | The British International School
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The British International School
The British International School has successfully worked in the field of educational services in Russia for the past 27 years, providing a first-class education in the best traditions of British schools. It is accredited by the Council of British International Schools. At present the BIS consists of 6 schools located in different areas of Moscow: in the North (Voikovskaya Metro Station) and in the South (Profsoyuznaya and Novoyasenevskaya Metro Stations). The programme in 5 BIS schools is based upon the English National Curriculum. These schools are staffed by highly qualified specialists from the United Kingdom and other English speaking countries. Children of 65 nationalities, aged from 3 to 18 years study there. The British International School has been offering the International Baccalaureate and A-level programmes. |
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| 108. | Spektor Services
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Spektor Services
Car rental. Managers speak English, French and Polish. |
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| 110. | Inlingua
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Inlingua
Russian language courses for expatriates. English and other languages upon your request. |
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| 113. | Empire of Tourism
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Empire of Tourism
Individual tours. Bus excursions. English-speaking guides. |
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| 114. | Felix
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Felix
Office furniture. For English speaking ask for Sholohova Elizaveta or Golovina Maria. |
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| 115. | CDC Inter Training
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CDC Inter Training
Russian, German, English, French and Spanish as foreign languages. |
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| 116. | Taxi 956
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Taxi 956
English-speaking operators. Online order. Cash and credit cards. |
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| 117. | Moscow-DGH
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Moscow-DGH
Owner operator. English-speaking driver, guide and hospitality manager. |
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| 118. | Peter Pan
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Peter Pan
Connecting families and schools with excellent native English-speaking teachers and carers. |
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| 119. | Olga Shilova
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Olga Shilova
English-speaking professional dog trainer, experienced in working with expats' dogs. |
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| 120. | Harmony at Home International
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Harmony at Home International
Helping families in Russia find the highest quality English Nannies, tutors and governesses. |
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| 121. | Simply Angelic
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Simply Angelic
Full time, live-in English-speaking nannies and governesses to families overseas including Moscow, St-Petersburg. |
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| 122. | Movet
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Movet
Veterinary clinic. Open: 24/7. Contact English-speaking vets: Dr. Lena Gauss, Dr. Alexander Tkachov-Kuzmin, Dr.Anastasiya Grishina. |
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| 123. | Magic World Kindergarten
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Magic World Kindergarten
Private kindergarten-lyceum for children ages 2 to 7. English, Russian. |
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| 124. | Jeyla Shikhlinskaya MA
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Jeyla Shikhlinskaya MA
English Language Psychology, Psychotherapy & Counseling Services. Professional Mental Health Therapist, Child & Adolescent Psychologist, Family Counselor. |
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| 125. | Shkafodel
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Shkafodel
Custom furniture workshop. All possible types of furniture. Fair prices, friendly attitude, English-speaking. |
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| 126. | 1one Design
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1one Design
Interior design from residential to commercial spaces, English, German, Russian, and Hungarian speaking staff.
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| 127. | Bookhunter
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Bookhunter
Books in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian. Fiction, non-fiction, political essays.
Open: 09:00-20:00 daily. |
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| 128. | Bukbuk.ru
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Bukbuk.ru
Fiction, non-fiction & educational literature in English, Chinese, Spanish, German, Czech, Italian, French, and Russian. |
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| 130. | Airport Transfers
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Airport Transfers
Reliable, low-cost, English speaking taxi/transfer service. All Moscow airports including Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo at any time of day at no extra charge. |
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| 131. | IPT
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IPT
Luxury nightclubs concierge service in Moscow. Safe and private. Best night clubs, luxury cars, English-speaking guides. |
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| 132. | BritishStaff
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BritishStaff
Help to find English nannies, governesses, teachers. Only qualified staff. Services of Filipino nannies and housekeepers with legal documents. |
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| 134. | Language Link
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Language Link
English, French, Russian and Italian as foreign languages (variety of courses). Translation and proofreading. Language study abroad. |
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| 135. | Moscow Economic School
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Moscow Economic School
A bilingual school (Russian/English) with one foreign language (German, Spanish or French). Under the International Baccalaureate curriculum. |
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| 136. | BestMoscowTransfer
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BestMoscowTransfer
Reasonable rates. English-speaking operator. City rides or inter-city transfers. Online booking easy form. |
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| 137. | Autobam
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Autobam
Th installation of additional equipment on foreign and Russian car. Tune, installing car alarms, audio-video systems, xenon and spetssignalov, insulation, etc. English speaking. Multiple locations. |
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| 138. | You are Welcome
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You are Welcome
Moscow Airport transfer and taxi service. English-speaking operators and drivers. Cash, credit cards, bank transfer - any payment method. |
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| 139. | Dr.Yuri and Valeria Shishmaryov
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Dr.Yuri and Valeria Shishmaryov
Over a decade practicing vet and his fluently English-speaking wife. 24-hour house calls. All kinds of veterinary service at your house. |
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| 140. | Yoga Dom
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Yoga Dom
Hatha Yoga in English for beginners. |
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| 141. | Da! Taxi
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Da! Taxi
English-speaking taxi service. |
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| 142. | Beauty Minute
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Beauty Minute
Massage, hair removal, make up, eyelash extension, anti cellulite treatment, fitness message, body wrapping, piling. Open: 10:00-22:00. English-speaking specialists. |
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| 143. | English Nanny
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English Nanny
30+ years experience placing professional child carers and teachers from the UK and other countries. We have successfully placed thousands of professionals with high profile families in UK, Russia, UAE, the Ukraine, Switzerland and all over the world. |
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| 144. | Zenonni su Misura
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Zenonni su Misura
100% Italian Mead-to-Measure clothing. Expat owner speaking very good English, French, Italian, Spanish and Rumanian. Image consultancy. |
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| 145. | Yoga Space
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Yoga Space
Experienced English-speaking teachers. Ashtanga yoga, all levels, in premium class yoga studio. |
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| 146. | EnjoyMoscow Apartments
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EnjoyMoscow Apartments
Short stay apartments. Apartments for rent. English-speaking operator. |
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| 147. | Bene-Dictus
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Bene-Dictus
Languages: Russian as a foreign language, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese.
Education form: mini-groups and individual lessons, in-company classes. |
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| 148. | Hinkson Christian Academy
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Hinkson Christian Academy
Christian elementary and secondary English language educational institution established to serve primarily expatriate Christian missionary families. |
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| 149. | RuskoTaxi
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RuskoTaxi
24hr airport transfer, taxi service with English-speaking licensed drivers and private tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg. All cars are constantly checked. Competitive and fixed fares, online order, PayPal. |
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| 150. | Four Squares Serviced Apartments
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Four Squares Serviced Apartments
Serviced apartments in central Moscow. Free Wi-Fi and satellite-TV, 24/7 English language emergency helpline. |
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| 152. | Intelligent
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Intelligent
Russian as a Foreign Language, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Greek and other foreign languages, corporate language training. |
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| 153. | Brandolog
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Brandolog
Advertising and PR Agency: web design, graphic design, marketing consulting, brand development, public relations, events, promotions-souvenirs, photo session, 3-D animations. English-speaking staff. |
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| 154. | London Nannies 4 You
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London Nannies 4 You
English nannies, governesses, teachers. We offer a complete professional service from London. |
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| 156. | Psychotherapy Online
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Psychotherapy Online
Online psychotherapy for English-speaking expats. Licensed psychologist (New York State) and Nationally Certified Counselor with three years' experience living in Russia. |
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| 157. | SuryaRam – Enlightenment Studio
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SuryaRam – Enlightenment Studio
Various kinds of yoga. Yoga based on deep understanding of human nature and relation to the whole universe through awareness and conciseness. Special English-teaching classes of Kundalini yoga. |
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| 158. | IWM
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IWM
Relocation, cargo insurance, responsible storage of goods, transportation, “door-to-door” delivery, unconventional cargo operations. English-, German-, French- and Dutch-speaking managers. |
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| 159. | Respublica
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Respublica
Books in English and other languages. Audio books. Art venue, style of the American Barns & Nobles. Multiple locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
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| 160. | IT Partner
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IT Partner
Microsoft Gold Certified partner and HP Preferred Partner 2010/2011. English- and Russian-speaking certified engineers. |
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| 161. | Magic Castle English Nursery School
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Magic Castle English Nursery School
Compehensive programme based on International Primary Curriculum. Half-day and full-day stay. Art, music, dance and sports. Other languages - Russian, Spanish, French and Chinese. Three locations - Novoslobodskaya, Tsvetnoi Bulvar, Polezhaevskaya m.st. |
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| 162. | Globus International Language Centre
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Globus International Language Centre
Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language (General, Intensive and Business Courses), English, French, German and other foreign languages, corporate language training. |
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| 163. | Montessori School of Moscow
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Montessori School of Moscow
Open to children aged birth to 6+ years old and offers three programs: Parent Infant Class, Toddler Community and Casa dei Bambini. Teachers and staff are fluent in English and/or Russian, have international work experience and/or education and speak other languages. |
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| 164. | Cultural Adaptation Counselling
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Cultural Adaptation Counselling
Professional psychologist provides counselling to English-speaking expatriates on cultural adaptation in Russia and culture shock related difficulties. Natalia Bakhtiarova. |
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| 165. | My Moscow Taxi
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My Moscow Taxi
English-speaking taxi service in Moscow. |
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| 166. | SV-Tuning
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SV-Tuning
Auto-repairs, maintenance, car evacuation, tire-shop, tuning-shop. Broad range of services for a foreigner in order to save time and money when dealing with any problems associated with broken cars or driving in Moscow. Can evacuate and help you with any trouble on the road. Speak english. |
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| 167. | Dobrota.ru
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Dobrota.ru
Medical equipment retail network (16 points of sale), wheelchair hire in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, delivery, mobility aids, patient care facilities, wheelchair maintenance, special taxi for handicapped people, home-nursing. English-speaking operators. Multiple locations. |
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| 168. | Counselor, Doula and Childbirth Educator
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Counselor, Doula and Childbirth Educator
Individual, couples and family counseling and psychotherapy in English for issues related to trauma, depression, loss, relationships, immigration crisis, parenthood and beyond. Doula support through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Childbirth prep classes. Ekaterina Mariposa. |
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| 169. | Oleg Singareev Photo Studio
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Oleg Singareev Photo Studio
English-speaking professional photographer on every occasion: weddings, family gatherings, maternity portraits, children's sessions. Promo and fashion photography, portfolios, artistic portrait, catalogue shooting. Broad experience in taking pictures of events, parties and functions of every kind. High-end retouching. |
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| 170. | Dom Inostrannoi Knigi (House of Foreign Liretature)
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Dom Inostrannoi Knigi (House of Foreign Liretature)
More than 20,000 English books. Fiction, non-fiction, rare books, vintage books, business, popular children's books, audio books. Arrow, Cambridge, CLE, Collins, Dorling Kindersley, Dover, Express Publishing.
Open from 9:00 until 21:00 daily,from 10:00 on Sat, from 10:00 until 20:00 on Sun. |
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| 171. | Specialist Language Services York
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Specialist Language Services York
Moscow-based representatives of Specialist Language Services York UK Ltd. Specialises in executive one-on-one Business English courses. |
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| 173. | Babe-Eng Club
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Babe-Eng Club
More than 10+ years, professional native English (British) teachers, qualified (PGCE.B.Ed). Successfully worked with different families. The aim is to use visuals, playform to enhance vocabulary and communication skills within a short time. Classical package: gymnastics, lessons (audio, visual, painting), snack time, play time and walks. |
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| 174. | Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Full range of lab services, endoscopy, radiology, ultrasound and functional diagnostics. Cutting-edge medical equipment, world-renowned English-speaking specialists. Ophthalmology (glaucoma, cataract surgery, etc.), Orthopedics, Traumatology (hip, knee replacement, arthroscopic surgery, etc), IVF Treatment. |
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| 175. | Moscow Service For Psychological Help
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Moscow Service For Psychological Help
Personal and Family psychotherapy for English/Russian speaking people by psychologist working for the Moscow Service For Psychological Help. Individual, couple and family appointments. Supervised by European Family Therapy Association specialists. |
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| 176. | Counseling Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Coach
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Counseling Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Coach
Counseling psychologist, client-centered psychotherapist and co-active coach. 10 years of experience. Offer counseling, psychotherapy and coaching both in Russian and in English. Work via skype and in-person (in Moscow). Kirill Kryuchkov |
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| 177. | Online Counseling & Life Coaching
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Online Counseling & Life Coaching
Clinical psychologist provides online counseling and online life coaching, free e-mail advice, the support and guidance you need, both in English and Romanian. |
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| 178. | Elite Educational Development
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Elite Educational Development
Elite Educational Development specialises in the placement of VIP nanny and governesses in Moscow, Russia and worldwide. They work with only the most qualified and experienced English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Chinese nanny, governess and governor candidates. This agency will find the perfect fit for you and your family. |
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| 179. | Go to Russia
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Go to Russia
Russia's full service travel management company (offices in Atlanta, San Francisco and Moscow). Visa support and full visa processing, registration, own network of managed short stay apartments, hotel accommodation, Moscow sightseeing tours. English-speaking managers. |
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| 180. | Wordsmiths Communications
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Wordsmiths Communications
Business, legal, technical and other translations, editing texts both in Russian and English, page making and design, printing and publishing, notary certification of translations, legalization, apostil, simultaneous and consecutive interpreting, archive of translated national standards GOST and SNiP (construction norms and regulations); translating diagrams in AutoCAD format; translation of web-sites. |
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| 181. | Petit Cref
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Petit Cref
Trilingual (French, English, Russian). Ages 2-6. Half and full days. Groups split by age. Art, music, drama. Also extra-curriculum activities everyday 16.30-18.00: yoga, arts and crafts, theatre, music, geography, cooking, Russian folklore, karate and circus art and animation. Weekend daycare from 10:00 to 18:00. Play area, birthday parties are organised. |
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| 182. | The English International School
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The English International School
British owned, managed and staffed. For children from 3 up to 17 years old. Based on British National curriculum adapted for international classes. 3 campuses available: EIS Moscow East for children aged 3-17, EIS Moscow West (age 3-12), EIS Moscow South-West (age 3-11). |
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| 183. | Go To Russia Travel
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Go To Russia Travel
Russia's full service travel management company (offices in Atlanta, San Francisco and Moscow). Visa support and full visa processing, registration, own network of managed short stay apartments, hotel accommodation, Moscow sightseeing tours. English-speaking managers. |
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| 184. | Expat Salon
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Expat Salon
A full service beauty salon created for Moscow’s Expat community. We offer services in haircare, nailcare, cosmetology and massage with professional English speaking staff. Popular American and European beauty products are also sold at the place. Money back guarantee on all products and services! |
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| 185. | Psychotherapy and Counselling Services
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Psychotherapy and Counselling Services
Work with individuals, couples, families and kids. Successfully treat: Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Personal and Emotional issues, Eating and Psychosomatic disorders. Life and Career Coaching to bring you certainty and make you naturally efficient and successful in life. Over 10 years of experience, MA in Counselling, BSc (Hons) in Psychology. Sessions can be given either in English or Russian. Contact Andriana. |
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| 186. | Great British Nannies
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Great British Nannies
Great British Nannies is a British Nanny, Governess and Tutor agency located in London and Moscow. They specialize in placing experienced, highly skilled, native English speaking childcare educators in to high profile Russian families in London, Moscow and other worldwide destinations. |
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| 189. | Sweet Home Abroad
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Sweet Home Abroad
Apartments and Villas in Europe. A fully bilingual apartment rental service, catering to travellers on vacations, short-term visits and business trips to the major cities of Europe, North America and Israel. All apartments, houses and villas are carefully selected and maintained by registered management companies. Customer support is available in English, Russian and Spanish (select destinations). |
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| 190. | Helpstar
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Helpstar
Helpstar is the easiest, fastest, and most secure way of booking on-demand home services, such as residential cleaning and dry-cleaning delivery. The seamless booking process only takes a minute – simply select the required services and options, and instantly see the total booking price and time availability. Bookings can be made via English language website or mobile app, and can be paid for either in cash or with a credit card. |
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| 191. | Dr. Charles Register BA, DC
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Dr. Charles Register BA, DC
Dr. Charles Register is a doctor of chiropractic practicing in Moscow since 1993. Graduate of Life College of Chiropractic (Marietta, Georgia) 1992. Carson-Newman College (Jefferson City, TN) 1988 BA Biology/ BA Chemistry. Member of International Chiropractic Association and World Chiropractic Alliance. Dr. Charles speaks Russian, Arabic and his native language English. |
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| 192. | Mira Cleaning Ltd.
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Mira Cleaning Ltd.
Internal office cleaning, carpet cleaning, tiles buffing and floors' polishing, intensive pre/post-relocation office cleaning, business centers' cleaning, commercial buildings cleaning, government buildings cleaning, medical centers' cleaning, shopping malls' cleaning, industrial premises' cleaning, facility management, personnel recruitment. English-speaking staff. |
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| 194. | Pokrovsky Bereg
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Pokrovsky Bereg
Arguably one of the best Moscow beaches located on the territory of "Pokrovskoe-Glebovo". High entrance fee guarantees perfect peace and quiet. English lawns and flowerbeds. Sea sand is safe and good for kids as well as children's play area with trampolines and other entertainments. For rent: barbecue, kayaks, balls and rackets for badminton. Sports: golf, tennis, volleyball, mini football. Sheltered marquees with pillows and rugs can be leased. From metro Sokol take marshrutka 12M to the terminal station. |
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| 195. | International Crisis Line
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International Crisis Line
Free Psychological Help Line, daily from 8:00 until 23:00. The help line is a free confidential phone-in service, providing professional counseling in a discreet, comfortable atmosphere. This service is provided by an international team of psychologists and psychotherapists who are experienced in counseling on different relational and personal issues, handling trauma and crisis, career counseling and psychotherapy. Counseling is available in English, Russian, French, and Polish. |
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| 196. | Business Services Moscow
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Business Services Moscow
Only high-class rental services of cars with professional drivers. Park contains only latest models of light vehicles Mercedes Benz of E-class (business), S-class (luxury) and minibuses. Cars are fully equipped and stay in a perfect technical conditions. They are driven only by English-speaking professionals with accident-free experience of driving. Dispatchers and managers work 24/7 and are ready to organize any kind of transport services for you at any time you want. Ways of payment: cash, cards (AmEx, VISA, MasterCard), invoice. |
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| 197. | SM-Clinic
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SM-Clinic
Multidisciplinary clinic with more than 4500 specialists, including: 25 professors, 72 Doctors of Medical Sciences, 432 PhD. 15 clinics in Moscow providing following services for adults and children: Outpatient medical care; Medical services as part of inpatient care; Dentistry; Doctor home visit. Specialized medical services for adults: Oncology treatment; Plastic surgery; Infertility treatment; Cosmetology. Since 2019 assist foreigners in English and Chinese: Online consultation about services; Appointments; Visit assistance; Organization of medical case conferences; Medical translation; Personal coordinator. |
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| 198. | Absolut Bank
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Absolut Bank
Absolut Bank was established in 1993 and since 2007 is a member of a major international financial group KBC (Top-5 in Central and Eastern Europe). The Bank offers a wide range of banking services including deposits, VIP banking, free consulting on personal finance management etc. English-speaking managers are available. Absolut Bank has an extensive network in Moscow, the Moscow Region and 23 other regions of Russian. ATM network exceeds 2000 machines in Moscow and other cities of Russia conveniently placed (including the metro stations). Please find the appropriate location on the: web site. |
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| 199. | Chelsea
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Chelsea
Gastropub is a mix of gastronomy and a classical pub. Businessmen, politicians, expats and other Moscow dandies will feel comfortable in the interior of an English club. 50 sorts of whisky, the wide wine list and fresh beer will be the worthy complement to the dishes of the chief cook. Our cuisine is English and international, it has absorbed all the variety of the gastronomical traditions of former British colonies. We are going to organize the tours of famous chef cooks to our restaurant. And now, let’s taste the menu, watch football and have a nice time! |
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| 200. | John Donne
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John Donne
Bona fide English pub. European cuisine, sports bar. |
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| 201. | Fusion Plaza
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Fusion Plaza
Live international sporting events on large TV screens, expat-friendly atmosphere, English speaking staff. |
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| 202. | Osteria della Piazza Bianca
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Osteria della Piazza Bianca
There are two chefs working on Osteria Bianca kitchen, who speak three languages (Italian, English and Russian). They gladly come out to the hall and communicate with guests friendly. Decor made by impression of Italian Riva boat, so everything in the restaurant is an exact copy of this boat. Main hall was built as prow of the boat, with compliance of every ships specific detail. There are two kitchens in the restaurant: open one, surrounded by bar, on which you can sit and watch the preparation of pizza and pasta; and closed one, that you can see through a big porthole.
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| 203. | Mumiy Troll Music Bar
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Mumiy Troll Music Bar
A music bar right in the heart of Moscow, within walking distance from the Kremlin. Open 24 hours. The Mumiy Troll Music Bar in Moscow is part of Ilya Lagutenko's (frontman of Mumiy Troll band) project for an international chain of live music bars. The first of these has been successfully running in Vladivostok since 2011. It's a great place for meeting friends and having a good time.The house specialty is Pacific cuisine, including Pacific whelk, sea cucumber, laminaria, fernbrake sautéed with meat and veggies pacific style and other delicacies. The international bar offers a unique selection of Asian drinks such as Korean beer and soju, Chinese lagers and Japanese whisky. Meals are available 24/7, including early breakfasts. Free wi-fi. Menu in Russian and English. Get taxi service. Live performances by Russian and foreign bands every night. DJ programs. Superb live sound and a broad selection of performers from the Asia-Pacific region and Russia's Far East. How to get here: Metro "Okhotny Ryad", "Teatralnaya", follow the direction to hotels The Ritz-Carlton and National, Ermolova Theatre, Central Telegraph. Just 1 min walk. |
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| 204. | 16 Tons
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Upstairs / Downstairs. But How To Dress?
Founded on 31st October back in 1997, 16 Tons is already an established expat hangout, and indeed I ran into a couple of friends there who were amazed that this was my first visit, citing the place as a "Landmark of Moscow". In fact this was my first visit to any pub here - and my, what a culture shock. It was really, really English, with its home brewed ale and dark green ceiling and inexplicable fake dead fish hanging on the walls.
Our waitress had clearly been briefed that we were coming, and she was immaculate, attentive, helpful and smiley. I spent some time peering round the stained glass which separated the table booths, trying to spy on other tables to see if they were receiving less attention, but no, it seemed they were also enjoying a similar level of service.
The menu offered a wide enough choice, without being too intimidating for the indecisive. For starter I opted for the Cream of Mushroom Soup (120 rbl) which came complete with its own little pot of croutons. Croutons always seem to make soup taste better. Natasha started with the Salad with Artichoke (250 rbl), described as a comforting yet fresh and healthy successful combination of ingredients. It was also the first artichoke salad spotted in Moscow, to date.
I have to say, being in a pub, I had a real craving for scampi & chips, but alas, this was not on the menu so I settled on a beautifully presented and very filling Fillet of Chicken, served under Ground Nuts Sauce with Cuscus and Vegetables (285 rbl). Natasha chose Pork Ribs on Birch Coal (330 rbl) which (stop reading vegetarians) was about the size of half a pig. Actually, it proved to be a little difficult to eat, but because by this stage we'd probably drunk too many glasses of French house red wine (130 rbl/glass) this didn't really seem to matter any more.
We finished our downstairs experience with coffee (50 rbl) and then mentally changed gear from English Pub to Moscow Underground Culture as we ventured upstairs past the glowering face control.
16 Tons, as well as being a pub and restaurant, prides itself as being an award winning live music venue. They have music upstairs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes also on Wednesdays and Sundays. They have a very strict music policy with rock, rather than pop, played at weekends, and more experimental music, such as electronic, playing on Thursdays. Indeed, when we were there, the legendary Russian artist and urban philosopher Evgeny Grishkovets was playing his latest things.
Despite the fact that 16 Tons is hardly a new kid on the block, it is still keen to further links with the expat community and I can see why. If you opt for an evening there, I recommend you do the whole experience. Go for some wholesome pub nosh downstairs before some alternative indi-bopping upstairs. Your only problem will be deciding what to wear. |
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| 205. | Jolly Dog Pub
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In Search of a Jolly Dog in Moscow
Rarely do I venture further past two metro stations past the ring line in Moscow, unless I am going to an airport or on a train out of town. Call me lazy, but it is just the routine I have settled into. I don’t drive in Moscow anymore, don’t like paying more than 200 Rbs to get anywhere (because you pay the same amount or more back), and am either suffocated or frankly just depressed these days by the Moscow metro (especially after LA Times correspondent Megan Stack’s op-ed in The Moscow Times a few weeks back about stray dogs in the metro). So it took a little coaxing to venture to the VDNKh region to sample what I was informed to be an English Pub, the Jolly Dog.
A quick aside as I am always pre-occupied with names of establishments (“What’s in a name?”)… I am not a Brit, so may be missing some literary or pub culture reference every good Englishman knows, but Jolly Dog? On my way there I could not get out of my head the commercial jingle for “Lucky Dog” dog food as a kid in the US, and then - thinking about my daily rides in the metro – about how no dogs in this town are very jolly in the least (again, the op-ed mentioned above comes to mind). However, this pre-occupation with the pub’s name subsided to my pre-occupation with actually finding the Jolly Dog….
Jolly Dog is located in the north of Moscow, quite peculiarly located in the basement of a Ssang Yong car dealership – which is equally peculiarly located on a large meridian traffic island of an arterial interchange – just north of the RamStore off of Sheremyetevskaya Ulitsa (there is definitely a story behind the odd location that I still need to find out). Knowing all of this will actually help you find it with GPS accuracy, but getting there for the first time was a challenge that even Google maps on my iPhone could not help with. I took the metro to Timiryazevskaya with the intent of flagging a car, but ended up taking a marshrutka (an adventure my date of course just loved) as no gypsy cabs were in sight. Getting dropped off at the lonely cross street near the Jolly Dog was almost like an existential experience – comparing the address written on your crumpled piece of paper and the addresses on the surrounding buildings, I looked around and knew it should be there, but it was not. I felt cold and alone, and that my trip north had no meaning, but a friendly voice answering my call for guidance told me to head for Ssang Yong, who gave me hope.…
….and food, and a good beer. Descending into the Jolly Dog made me feel I was back in central Moscow again, and by some stretch of the imagination perhaps in a London pub. Lots of leather booths, varnished wood, and paintings adorning the walls quickly warmed my soul. Opening the Russian language menu (no English menu offered just yet), complete with the listings of exact metric proportions of each dish, I quickly found the drinks section and ordered a pint of Bowman’s (220 Rbs), while my Polish date ordered a Finnish Lapin Kulta (140 Rbs). Overall the menu could be considered an inspiration to Anglo-Russo relations, a harmonious compromise between the two where each seem to share a common cultural space. Not fully English, and not fully Russian.
Cold starters ranged from 140 Rbs (herring) to 350 Rbs (fish plate), with salmon carpaccio (260 Rbs) and cheese plate (350 Rbs) in between. We skipped the cold starters, though, as soon as we spotted a wide selection of yummy, greasy bar food – fried cheese (150 Rbs), nachos (180 Rbs), onion rings (150 Rbs), fried calamari (180 Rbs) as well as more higher-end bar food such as warm mussels (490 Rbs). We opted for the fried calamari rings, but regretfully did not try the sampler plate. The calamari came out within minutes, hot and greasy, albeit a bit over fried – but no matter as I was hungry; existentialism be damned – I felt alive with each greasy, fishy bite!
Salads were not your garden variety – literally. Most of the salads in the selection were made from some type of meat (I recall a tongue salad for 290). However, the salads that we did try – those that had some greens – were excellent and some of the best salads I have frankly had in Moscow. Really. My Polish date for the evening had the chicken heart salad (250 Rbs), and commented it was one of the best salads she has had since coming to . I had the Scottish salad, a delicious salad of greens, ruccola, goat cheese, and toast tips (290 Rbs) and was also quite impressed. The ruccola was fresh-picked fresh.
Already feeling quite warmed by the surroundings and excellent service, we skipped the selection of soups were (160-180 Rbs, standard fare of mushroom, chicken, pea, etc.) and moved on directly to the main courses which covered at least four pages ranging from basic club sandwiches (240 Rbs), homemade sausages (220-460 Rbs), seabass (950 Rbs), and pheasant stuffed with walnuts and red whortberries (brusnika) at 440 Rbs which was my first choice, but alas they were out of pheasant and unwilling to improvise with other poultry meats at my suggestion. The menu had a whole page dedicated to beef, including T-Bone steak (850 Rbs) and “21st Day Veal” (950 Rbs), a dish whose name I really don’t want to understand.
Like the good Polyachka she is, my date ordered the homemade sausages and said they were the best she has had east of Warsaw (again, neither of us are English, so London not our first point of reference). I felt a suddenly strange onset of Russophilia in the English surroundings, and opted for the chicken tabaka (250 Rbs). The whole chicken was succulent, moist, and most incredible of all – boneless! A whole, flat baked chicken before me, with barely a wingbone to gnaw on. My compliments indeed to the culinary talents of the chef.
I’ve read other recent reviews of new and tasty neighborhood restaurants opening up outside the ring that are worth a visit, and the Jolly Dog is indeed one of them. I still marvel at its most unique location, but once there you do indeed forget about how you got there (and how to get back). The food was extremely fresh, and the service very prompt and polite. The Jolly Dog maintains a bit of its Russian character, but is quite a jolly good place to go. Call ahead for reservations as they tend to book up days in advance on the weekends, and go ahead and book a taxi too. |
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| 206. | La Bottega
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Wine + Russians = does not compute. Of course it shouldn't be so, because Russians have loved the fruit of the vine for centuries, the Tsars themselves owned vineyards – although Mikhail Gorbachev dug them up and burnt them, and was rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for doing so. Russia even produces decent wines, although you have to look hard for them (the Krasnodar Krai is a rewarding place to begin your search – where Australian winemakers are now guiding the process). Yet despite all this, it's hard to think of the Hollywood movie where the Russian character's favourite tipple is an elegant Barolo. Wine is – in the final analysis - an alien pastime for many Russians – a fact to which La Bottega are neatly attuned. Even the blackboard of specials chalked-up outside is in English. Bottega is aimed very clearly at an expat clientele, plus those Muscovites who hanker after their summer holidays in Andalucia as they trudge through the snow. The staff are English-speaking and greet guests cheerfully in English. If you're an expat in Moscow, then this place was made for you. How well was it made? Well, let's see....
The location at White Square – outside Belorusskaya Circle Line Metro – is almost purpose-made for La Bottega's target market, scattered at the feet of the Towers of Mammon that loom above. Prosperous pin-suited yuppies go scampering homewards past La Bottega's doors – and on the evening we visited there seemed to be an exclusively foreign clientele filling out the place.
It's a warm, cheerful and unashamedly louche venue with lots of soft furnishings and red crushed-velvet curtains – they may be serious about wine, but the atmosphere is far from stern and severe. There's a mixture of 1970s retro with 1920s Berlin cabaret playing on the sound system – this is a barfly lounge where lounging is positively encouraged.
La Bottega is primarily a place you come to enjoy a glass of wine, so we eschewed the other drink options and went straight for the wine list. The wine list is extensive, and their website has the whole thing if you want to check it out. If you aren't in the mood or the visitor-numbers for a bottle, they have a good range of some of their most attractive wines available by the glass – and for prices that stand up very well by Moscow standards, with some even coming in under 300 RUB per glass. It's a pricing policy that keeps you there for a second or third glass, and encourages sampling several. I found the Allegrin Veneto Soave 2010 crisp and attractive – served ideally chilled, with some fruity notes to it, and priced to enjoy at only 370 RUB per glass. Emilia's preference for reds led her towards a Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2009, further up the price-scale at 470 RUB - but worth it. This is wine that stimulates the palate and prompts the appetite, and so we were quickly surveying the food menu.
As a Wine Bar, La Bottega's menu is extensively slanted towards smaller and lighter dishes you might have on the side with your glass of wine – and we enjoyed these appetiser dishes rather more than the main courses. If I went back to Bottega, next time I'd order two starters and skip the main course altogether – there's a panache and inventiveness among them that is somehow missing amid the worthy standards of the mains. Outstanding among the starters, and The Most Outrageously Delicious Thing I've Eaten in Months was the Mellow Figs Baked with Gorgonzola & Walnuts (450 RUB). My relentless curiosity often leads me into ordering the strangest stuff on the menu “just to try it” - but this time, for once, it paid off – the Odd Coupling of tangy fruit with attention-grabbing intense cheese is an unbeatable duo that I've never seen anywhere before – you have to try this! In fact it was so magnificently delicious that Emilia ate most of mine. And with good reason – she'd ordered a Mixture Of Green Leaves with Parma Ham Gran Riserva & Sheep's Ricotta (570 RUB)... but the green leaves were mostly chopped Chinese Leaves of clunky unloveliness, and they went unmunched. Surely they could get nicer salad leaves than this? My local supermarket sells them. The salad was crammed into a small deep bowl that made it hard to eat - and barely showed it in an attractive way. A better partner for a serious red wine was the Pear & Gorgonzola Quiche – a substantial slice for 320 RUB, and a meal in itself. It looked a little forlorn just plonked on a dish without even a lettuce-leaf for company, and might have benefited from more attractive presentation – but it delivers the goods on the fork.
The wind whistling in from the front door – which it does with some ferocity, straight into the seating area – was causing a little discomfort by now, and they'll need to fix this before winter draws in. We fortified ourselves with hot dishes and more wine, moving on to a Laughing Magpie Australian d'Arenburg 2007 – satisfyingly full and rounded, and worth the 450-RUB price-tag that accompanies it. The main courses which came along with it were less satisfying, however. I'd never seen a veal medallion the size or shape of those which appeared as Veal Medallions in Marsala Sauce (590 RUB). Full marks for getting the classic Marsala Sauce right, but the veal was very average. I had high hopes of Papardelle with Porcini and Cream Sauce if it was priced at 530 RUB – but it, too, was very ordinary. Scant on the porcini (in a bumper year for porcini), and not very creamy at all. We shared a quite decent panna cotta dessert for 290 RUB. The fare is bog-standard wine-bar stuff, in fact.
Overall, we felt that La Bottega would be good for sharing a glass of wine with friends, perhaps with a snack course on the side – the tables in the bar area are too small for eating main courses anyhow. There's a good selection of wines at prices that encourage you to linger. Unless you are unduly fond of fresh air, you might want to seat yourselves at the larger and more convenient tables which are further from the door. The staff is friendly and cheerful, but you have to keep on their case to make sure they bring what you actually ordered. The huge volume of passing trade from the adjacent office-blocks will probably keep La Bottega packed without them having to try harder than they do. |
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| 207. | Kolbasoff
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When I was asked to do a review for Kolbasoff, mostly I heard one thing: "beer" in the form of a question. I said "Oh, yes!" Then I went online to find out more about what I would be having to eat that night, which was, as the restaurant's name not-so-subtly implies, sausages. Now - I am an omnivore at heart, and I eat meat, but to tell you the truth, the whole idea of sausages, especially of what potentially goes into them, sort of scares me a little. But then, at the bottom of the restaurant's website, I was met with a challenge I could not refuse. Kolbasoff claims that their sausages are "real manly food" and that in the future men are going to start craving more and more sausages. They hasten to add, however, that women may also eat sausages as long as there's beer to be had. Man's food, you say? Food for men? Well, I'll just see about that!
Kolbasoff has two main halls. We were seated in the larger hall, which features a large bar near the entrance and segues into several sections of booths and other tables by the window. The lights were dimmed (drinking beer in brightly lighted places is never a good idea) and the far wall features a collection of various beer bottles and mugs from around the world. The design looks new and spotless, which made me a little suspicious - I'm more accustomed to much darker, dustier and not-so-spotless watering holes. But Kolbasoff is no mere watering hole! It is a restaurant, with food even! And so we set about checking out the menu. I was presented with the English version of the menu, while Mr. Polly requested the Russian original.
Upon opening the English menu, I saw that I was invited to order the "firm supper" and try "any firm sausage our restaurant." Firm sausage you say? Of course this meant firmenny, or the restaurant's own trademark delicacies, but it's always nice to see that there's plenty of firm sausage on the menu. I was bombarded with options and had no idea at all what to order! Should I try the "crust small triangle" or the "fried in crackers pork ears" for a hot appetizer? Or might I be better off with "the fried cheese tubules from the test"? Should I choose the "creamy cream soup" or the "wild mushrooms with creamy"? The choices were endless and baffling, so I cheated and looked at the Russian menu.
We decided to try the Kolbasoff salad, which is made of - you guessed it - sausages! And potatoes, pickles, beans, onions and radishes. We also ordered the meat carpaccio, which somehow appeared on our table as the salmon carpaccio, and the "beer shrimp" allegedly prepared in a "spicy mash." For entrees, we decided to try some nice firm sausage, namely Kolbasoff sausage platters #1 and #2. Number one is made with herbs and spices, while number was described as hot and spicy. It was my job to try the spicy dish since we all know that Russians can't really handle (or judge) true spicy hotitude.
We were served our first two beer selections (Paulaner Oktoberfest and Spaten Oktoberfest) with the carpaccio, shrimp and Kolbasoff salad all at once. As we somehow got salmon instead of meat (I guess myasnoye can sort of sound like lososevoye), I gave it to Mr. Polly since I don't dig fish too much. I did try it though. It was pretty salmony, and if you're into salmon you'd probably like it. Mr. Polly immediately began ripping the bug-eyed heads from several beer shrimp while I examined the Kolbasoff salad. All I could think of was "there is a bunch of sausage on this plate in the guise of a salad, and after that, they're going to give me "more sausage!"I wasn't sure I could eat all that sausage. I began to doubt myself. But then I remembered -men should not be able to have a food that is all their own! I must prove that women can also eat sausage! So I sucked it up and tried the salad.
Mind you, the Kolbasoff salad - at least on the English menu - is described as "piquant." This is a good salad to order for your Russian friends who think that black pepper is hot so that you can have a good laugh, because - actually "this salad is pretty hot' n' spicy!" It doesn't taste half bad, either. I enjoyed eating it. Slowly. Yet as someone who truly appreciates a nice piece of lettuce, I must say I think it's almost a sin to call this dish a "salad." I might even humbly suggest that Kolbasoff could stand to add some more lettuce-y items to their salad menu. Anyway, I enjoyed giving some to Mr. Polly after warning him "be careful, it's spicy!" He tried some and said "no it's not!" About three seconds passed before he was grasping for his beer. "Nevermind! It's spicy!" Since the menu claims the beer shrimp are cooked in a spicy mash, I wanted to know if they, too, were truly spicy. There was no mash, spicy or otherwise, visible on Mr. Polly's plate of beer shrimp, and while he said they were not spicy (which means not at all, he has a very low "spice" threshold), they had apparently been prepared in some sort of tasty sauce and he liked them a lot.
We ordered two more small beers while we waited for the entrees to arrive: Duckstein amber and Hofbroeu. I was unable to discern any difference in beer taste for a while after the salad, so suffice it to say that the Hofbroeu was Mr. Polly's favorite beer of the evening, while Duckstein was his least favorite. I will take a moment to note that Kolbasoff's beer prices range from 60-320Rbs (with options of 0.33L, 0.5L and 1L) with an average 0.5 beer price of 150Rbs. Their draught selection includes a variety of German, Czech and Belgian beers, and I must say I was disappointed to see that the only bottled beers were Corona (*ahem*) and some pretend beer with no alcohol. Why oh why, when there are so many different yummy bottled beers to be had?
Our entrees arrived as promised - two large sausages each with what I presume was sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, a couple of gherkins and a marinated tomato. I say that I presume it was sauerkraut only because I have never eaten sauerkraut before, nor did I eat much of it that night. While the Kolbasoff #2 was definitely not as "firm" as the menu had led me to believe, it was obviously very fresh and handmade. Although it was not fire-in-your-mouth-hot, it was indeed spicy and tasty. Mr. Polly was extremely pleased with his choice of Kolbasoff #1, and although he has never been to Oktoberfest or Germany, he assured me that it was the real thing: authentic German sausage. He also liked the sauerkraut and enjoyed referring to what the sausages resembled. We washed the sausages down with a third round of 0.33s - Krombacher and Altitude 6 (unfiltered). We finished the evening by sharing a delicious piece of almond cake, which thankfully had no sausage in it.
The place was pretty full at eight o'clock, mostly with men gettin' their sausage on. One table nearby was served with a beautiful plate of fresh crayfish. We also noticed that you apparently may bring small dogs with you, as one young lady did that evening. While I am not an expert and tastes do vary, I understand that the following information is very important for some expat men: I would say that roughly half of the waitresses were "cute" and at least one of the cute ones was "stacked."
The manager dropped by our table to let us know that Kolbasoff will be having one more round of Oktoberfest celebrations, complete with contests and prizes, on Saturday, October 2nd. The previous festivities on September 18th were a big hit and included many a beer-related contest; including breaking open a wooden keg of beer. It's going to be packed on October 2nd, so be sure to reserve a spot!
After some reflection, I must admit that although everything we ordered at Kolbasoff was very good and presented nicely, sausages just might actually be man's food after all. I cannot speak for all women; I can only speak for myself when I say, men, you may have your sausage. I will stick with beer. |
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| 208. | Noev Kocheg (Noah's Ark)
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Before we begin the review itself, we would like to warn our readers about the disadvantageously placed decorative metal bars pyramiding up around the bottoms of trees along the sidewalk outside Noah's Ark. They are stealth-ninja metal bars that you may not see at first glance, but be careful, they may jump up out of nowhere, causing you to trip, or perhaps lose your balance, and crash to the ground. Mind you, these bars do not differentiate between people who are sober and those who have enjoyed a libation or two. If you are unable to avoid the evil metal bars and consequently end up in a pool of your own blood, never fear, the doormen have seen the metal bars attack many times and will kindly help you back up.
Once we were inside and had brushed ourselves off, the manager gave us a tour of the restaurant and a brief lesson in Armenian history. He began by showing us "the gold room," which is on the bottom floor. It is much smaller and more intimate than the main room upstairs, and features plush half-circle sofas instead of your typical wooden furniture. (If you want to impress someone, make reservations for this room.)
The owners of the restaurant have devoted a great deal of attention to the furnishings, decorations and details on both floors, made of metal, wood, fabrics, canvas and stone, nearly all imported from Armenia (although the chairs were from Italy). Even the fish pond at the entrance is shaped as a miniature Lake Sevan, which is apparently Armenia's most beloved body of water.
The main guest room is quite different from the gold room - it is more dimly lit, there are more people and there is just much more going on in general. If you have a larger group or a special occasion, you can reserve a special curtained area for more privacy. An open grill is set up directly across from the main arc into the second-floor dining area, so that you may verify the freshness of your shashlik, or so we were told. We were seated and given a complimentary warm drink of rosehip tea with honey and cinnamon. There were quite a few large parties, but none of them were overly loud, and the spaciousness of the restaurant meant that the place didn't feel hectic or crowded.
After confirming that we would indeed prefer to make our own choices as to what we would be ingesting that evening, we were given menus. They do have menus in English, but if you read Russian, we recommend getting the Russian menu since the English menu is more confounding than it is amusing. (Not so for the dessert menu, but more about that later.) The menu is long, one of those notorious 'tomes' that it will take at least a good 15 minutes to browse through before you've narrowed it down to 5 pages. If you are planning ahead, you might consider checking the menu online at www.noevkovcheg.ru, where you can find a list (and some pictures) of the menu selections.
After much page turning and mulling about, we decided to try Armenian beer (Kilikia, Kotayka, and Erebuni, 110 Rbs). Surok wanted to try the most unpronounceable item on the menu, the tzhvzhik, or veal liver (480 Rbs). Unfortunately for her, they were out of tzhvzhik that night. Instead she opted for kabachki s tarkhunom, or squash rolled with minced beef and walnuts (200 Rbs) and chose the sturgeon in a clay pot (580 Rbs) over the assortment of 5 different types of shashlik (720 Rbs - pork, lamb, veal, chicken and veal liver). I decided to try their spinach salad with walnuts (250 Rbs), the burum v lavashe (290 Rbs) and the tolma (350 Rbs).
The spinach salad was not a spinach salad as Americans know it - it was spinach cooked in matsun sauce (sour milk) with finely grated walnut, served cold. The flavor was very mild but fresh. It was quite a contrast in taste when compared with Surok's squash; to say that she was highly impressed with it would be an understatement. I also tried a bite, and was surprised to find something akin to tex-mex spices used in all the right ways in this surprising southern dish. (It almost made my spinach seem kind of boring) Surok noted that the matsun-tarkhun sauce really made the dish - the combination of sweet meat, strong herbs and the sour milk was just perfect.
The burum v lavashe came next. This dish is basically bits of beef, mushrooms, spinach and cheese rolled up in flat lavash bread. It seemed like a good idea. That is not to say that it was a bad idea - all of the ingredients were nice enough. But in the end, we both decided that none of the ingredients really did anything for the other ingredients. It was good, it was filling, but it didn't knock our noski off.
Next came the main dishes. Surok's sturgeon came in the pot as promised. The clay pot was sealed shut with lavash, an interesting touch that initially made it a bit of a challenge to actually get to the food. Inside was a hearty stew of fresh sturgeon, potatoes and mushrooms in a sour cream and sweet pepper sauce. It was a tasty, warm and filling dish, great for the wintertime. But again, the ingredients didn't complement each other 100%, and Surok noted she could have done without the mushrooms.
The tolma, or minced beef mixed with rice and wrapped in grape leaves (also called dolma by other nationalities), were a very pleasant surprise. I had been of the impression that there wasn't really much you could do for a tolma. True enough, this is fairly simple fare, but Noah's Ark really, really knows their tolma. I have never had finer tolma. The leaves were tender, not chewy or tough, and the meat inside was perfectly juicy without making anything soggy. The texture was just right, and the simple matsun sauce was the perfect complement.
We were then offered the dessert menu, in English, and proceeded to enjoy ourselves immensely. All of the ice cream is proudly noted as Baskin Robbins brand. You can opt for a "splendid potion" of various flavors, or fried Baskin Robbins ice cream, complete with a "testy crispy crust" (210 Rbs). There is also honey fondant, featuring a "light honey mouse" (220 Rbs). The muravejnik, or honey cake, was described as "a dessert made from short" (110 Rbs). Other noteworthy items include Italian "Philadelphia" cheese and Eral Gpey tea. The dessert menu was very sweet indeed.
Surok made her selections, which I promised to try, but I was too stuffed to order anything else after the tolma. Surok made the very wise decision to try the walnut preserves and quince preserves with some black tea. Anyone who is not allergic is urged to at least try the walnut preserves, which were not too sweet and not too nutty but actually just really a surprisingly nice, and rather unusual, treat. It is served with four young walnuts that don't budge if you poke your spoon at them, but are actually very chewy. Due to certain familial circumstances, Surok is a bit of an expert on quince preserves. While she had expected this to be something more like jam, and it was actually preserved fruit, she found it quite nice. She also tried one of the cognacs on the menu, the 6-year "Ani" (200 Rbs / 0.05L), which she found to be a fairly good, basic Armenian cognac, although she does tend to find Armenian cognacs a little sweet for her taste.
We found the service to be excellent over the course of the evening. There was no hovering whatsoever, which quite frankly I had been afraid of after the very informative "tour". The timing was right on, and our waiter was able to answer all of our questions. The manager kindly presented us both with a copy of Noah's Ark's own CD music mix, which is called something like "The Armenian wind instrument [duduk] in the music of world-renowned artists."
In conclusion, we enjoyed the evening and the dinner at Noah's Ark. Despite some slight culinary inconsistencies, this place gets a solid recommendation for friendly atmosphere, freedom from ear splitting music, and informative wait staff. We left content and well fed, albeit perhaps slightly more bruised from our very dashing entrance. |
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| 209. | Gavroche
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Going into this review, with a name like Gavroche, I was intrigued, to say the least. I did some quick research on location since finding places in Moscow is usually hit, miss, and frustration.
Arriving to Gavroche by car is a bit tricky. Building 11 is a Soviet monolith that occupies nearly the entire block. We parked on the street at an available spot, and we were at the wrong end of the street, as luck would have it. However, Gavroche has a parking lot “in the back” that actually had available spots, so call ahead.
Metro stop is Park Kultury, and it is not a difficult walk to Gavroche – investigate prior and you will arrive without problem. Note, though, that the entrance is well-marked, but across from building 26.
For me, an increasing portion of the buying decision is simple – free WiFi, yes or no? I am madly loyal to Coffee House (I am here now) because they have free WiFi. I avoid Shokoladnitza and Starbucks precisely because they do not have free WiFi. It’s not a question of money – the free portion – it is a question of make it convenient for me, and I will give you my business and tell others to do the same.
Gavroche, I am happy to say – and as a pleasant surprise – has free WiFi announced by a sign that jumps out on the front door, and WiFi that works good. I had my iPad with me, so it was really a super addition. Small example – I did not know what “Gavroche” is or meant. Two seconds later, Victor Hugo and Les Miserables. Kudos to Gavroche for being, well, smart and recognizing its clientele.
I am a born cynic and that is how I went into Gavroche. I, however, do not have expectations that are not reasonable. On every count, Gavroche met my expectations – and, in all fairness, exceeded them as well.
With regard to interior, Gavroche is sleek and tastefully done. Nice and quiet. You can have a conversation easily across the table without having to huddle or yell. That was a huge plus, in addition to the fact that you are not crowded into a puny table. In short, you can relax, and you quickly do. Not the pretentious kind of relax, but actually feel at ease.
There is a seasonal terrace outside with sofa seating with blankets and space heaters available upon request. Inside, you do not feel cigarette smoke since it is whisked out almost immediately the central air system.
With regard to service, Gavroche does extremely well. Our waitress, Julia, was very attentive, but not over- attentive. Maybe I am alone in being annoyed when I finish my last bite – or not even finish it – and the plate is already off the table, seized by the hawk-eyed waiter or waitress who makes me feel like I am somehow not eating fast or efficiently enough.
This is not the case at Gavroche – again, you can relax here. Enjoy your seat, surf the net a bit, and eat at your own pace.
Gavroche is a wine bar with a sommelier that is happy to guide you through choices to meet your mood or entree. About 140 different wines are listed, with the most expensive approximately 17500 RUR, but with very nice bottles in the 2500 to 3500 RUR range.
Menus are in English and Russian, in separate covers, and, very importantly, they match each other. Where this is nice is if you are with somebody who does not speak English, he/she can suggest something, show it to you on his/her menu, and it will match up the English menu for you to poke at for your waitress. A small criticism is that portion sizes are not noted.
We started the meal with wine (Gentil Hugel Alsace, 270 RUR glass and Givry, 390 glass) that was recommended by the sommelier, as well as two appetizers – an artichoke, onions, and pickles assortment (290 RUR) and a cured meat platter assortment (470 RUR). The wine was excellent and the dishes came quickly, as well as a nice bowl of baguette style bread with soft butter. Both dishes were a super start to the dining experience, and there is a wide array of appetizers from which you can choose to suit your taste.
Again, with WiFi and an iPad on-hand, we enjoyed the quiet – but not empty – atmosphere and the good wine with appetizers. There was no rush to order, and we did not feel rushed.
I was not sure what I wanted to order for my entree, so I told Julia to surprise me. No fish, no pasta, but everything else was, as you can say, on the menu. We did, however, order two other entrees to have a basis of comparison – duck breast with cranberry sauce (590 RUR) and steamed/grilled cod with vegetables and rice (470 RUR).
The cod was very well prepared and flavorful. Duck is also something that I tend to stay away from because any time that I have ordered it in Moscow, I have been painfully disappointed – too dry, overcooked, and really just not up to par. However, the duck was excellent. In fact, it was as perfect as really possible – and for a person like me who is not a big fan of this meat, that says a lot about Gavroche’s cook and recipes.
Honestly, when I said “surprise me”, I wanted the ribeye steak (950 RUR), medium done. Julia must have saw it in my eyes because that is exactly what she brought me, accompanied by a nice bowl of fresh greens and round/cube cut French fries that came with a bottle of Heinz ketchup too. No bowl of 50g – for the first time anywhere not Starlite Diner was I presented with my own bottle of ketchup.
The ribeye was super. Just super. The sauce that accompanied brought out the inherent flavor of the cut of meat. It was cooked to perfection, and exceeded my expectations in every way. A nice steak in Moscow at a reasonable price is hard to find since the price-good steak or not gamut is always a shot in the dark. If simply for another steak and big beer, I will be back to Gavroche.
I forgot to mention – before enjoying the entrees, we were able to consult with the sommelier again about wines that would go well with the dishes. He suggested Chablis Grand Regnard (590 RUR glass) and Pouilly Fuisse Faiveley Le Marconnais (470 RUR glass). The Chablis was good, but the first white wine got the green light our party for the best combination with a nice fish dish. The Pouilly was a perfect match for the duck entree. For my exquisite ribeye – nothing beats a big .5L Kronenburg draft (210 RUR), even if you are in a wine bar with a selection as deep as Gavroche’s.
Dinner complete and extremely satisfied. We chatted amongst ourselves for 20 minutes or so before considering dessert. Looked up a few more random things using WiFi, made some phone calls with Skype, and was pulled in for dessert.
My huge conundrum is cheesecake in Moscow since, generally, good cheesecake is even harder to find than your own bottle of ketchup. The best cheesecake in the world is made by my Uncle Bruce in the US. He knows this, and the world knows this.
However, Uncle Bruce, you have a worthy competitor in the cheesecake with strawberry sauce (320 RUR) offered at Gavroche. I have had cheesecake at inexpensive and expensive places in Moscow – and few have scored memorable – but my quote when wolfing mine down with my Americano (190 RUR) and Sambuca Molinari (290 RUR) was, “(t)his is the best damn cheesecake in Moscow!”, and it is.
We tried two other deserts as well – a Sotern with Thai Orchid (380 RUR) and chocolate fudge mindal cake (310 RUR) with a cappuccino (130 RUR) for my dining partner. I came out of my cheesecake bliss to try both of them, and both were very nice. Sotern was a new dish for me, and it was a nice, light composition. The chocolate fudge mindal, I postulate, was as much a round piece of heaven for chocolate lovers as my round piece of heaven cheesecake.
The appealing and relaxing atmosphere at Gavroche lasts the entire meal. I have had hard time thinking about “how” to express the atmosphere in words. Instead, I prefer to use examples.
For instance, Gavroche is a restaurant that would be perfect if you had friends or family visiting and you want a place that you can sit down to catch up. For those in a party like this, WiFi allows the just arrived to get caught up on things like email, places he/she would like to see in Moscow, and the like. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy most dining preferences, and, moreover, the wine list is impeccable in selection and pricing.
If not a friends and family type gathering, Gavroche is perfect for entertaining business clients, professional colleagues, or co-workers. Location is central, parking lot close, terrace available, excess seating upon request can be reserved, and it is a quite place for uninterrupted conversations.
In closing, I give Gavroche a ringing Purdy Five-Star Endorsement on all accounts. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend Gavroche to anybody in the Expat.ru community looking for a new place to try or a familiar place to return to you on your second, third, fourth, et al visits! |
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| 210. | Chicago Prime
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I have seen the advertisements for Chicago Prime during recent forays to Starlite Diner, and Chicago Prime has been on my list of restaurants to check out. As it turns out, and not due to a miracle in cross-advertising, Chicago Prime and Starlite Diner are part of the same operating company. I have been a loyal fan of the Starlite Diner since 1998, so I welcomed the opportunity to review Chicago Prime.
Chicago Prime’s location is near Pushkinskaya metro station and not difficult to access by metro (especially) or automobile, but traffic can be heavy and slow on the boulevard ring. Chicago Prime is also open until 0500, so if you want late night steak, traffic is a relative non-issue. Parking is available behind a shlagbaum – even though we knew before arriving that parking was available, it was not readily available at 2000 on a Monday night.
The metro station is close to the restaurant and less of a headache. Rather, a more minor headache since Pushkinskaya is composed of three stops/stations with many exits. Follow the Strastnoi Bulvar exit signs, and you should come out of the right exit.
Access to headache-free WiFi has become a condition for my repeat business at restaurants and cafes in Moscow, especially expensive restaurants that cater to the expat community. Chicago Prime has headache-free WiFi, and it is convenient to keep up to speed on emails or just search the net.
The interior and atmosphere of Chicago Prime are appealing - that is, you can readily have a conversation over a normal sized table and the dining areas are big enough that you do not have to hear about how important the guy in the next table is, ex-pat or Russian.
Also, the music was, at least for me, a “make you smile” mix of Jimmy Buffet, Van Morrison, some Police, U2, and other songs that I knew. They also did not repeat and were not over thematic – i.e. crooning, loud Italian at a pasta place, annoyingly soft, artsy pafos music, or mega-repeat unknown, gibberish English language by unknown artists you run into at a lot of places in Moscow.
Chicago Prime also has a bar section that overlooks the boulevard with comfortable seating and offers food service as well. They have Happy Hour specials on weekdays from 1700 to 2000 – the current special is two for one drinks and 20% off the bar food menu.
Upon first glance, the menu at Chicago Prime itself may appear limited, but it is not. By this I mean that the main items are on one page – and each point of a great steak and seafood menu are well covered. You will not be at a loss for choices – like me, more than one entree will make your mouth water. Same for the garnishes crafted to complement your main entree.
However, as a warning – and actually a big plus for a Moscow restaurant – the portions at Chicago Prime are hearty, so plan accordingly when you order!
We started the night with a recommended currant-limonad (325 RUR for .5L pitcher, freshly made) that my dinner date absolutely had to try. I contemplated beer, but with an early flight out of Moscow the next morning, I really ventured outside of the culinary comfort zone with a freshly opened bottle of Coca Cola (120 RUR).
The English translation is Cowberry Lemonade, not the most romantic name, but do not be fooled. It was a stellar mix of fresh ingredients served on ice, and I highly recommend it. The other fruit drinks listed are also likely as appealing and flavorful, and 325 RUR for .5L of freshly-made juice is a good price.
Appetizers were a shrimp cocktail (690 RUR) over a vinaigrette type salad with a big Kamchatka crab claw, as well as Kamchatka crab cakes (750 RUR). The shrimp cocktail came with fried parmesan cheese slabs that were, quite frankly, awesome. Appetizers were flavorful, promptly arrived after ordering, and went well with the bread basket and flavored butter.
I was a bit tortured by which entree to choose since I wanted to go with a non-typical cut for me; I chose the Porterhouse Steak (3290 RUR). My dinner date had Maine Lobster (350 RUR per 100g / 2450 RUR total). For garnishes, we went with sauteed, caramelized onions (100 RUR), steamed asparagus with butter (490 RUR), french fries with truffles (290 RUR), and potatoes au gratin (390 RUR).
Steak was excellent and cooked exactly how I wanted it to be. The Porterhouse is what is termed “USDA CAB Aged Beef” – an involved curing process that locks in the flavors in a multi-step process over 45 days. The difference in taste was certainly noticeable. The potatoes au gratin were spectacular – to such an extent that the french fries were largely ignored as dinner progressed.
Maine lobster was excellent without reservations. The process was interesting since you are allowed to choose your own live lobster from the tank. A fleeting moment of playing God; I was not allowed to do the same for the bovine from whence my Porterhouse originated, however.
At this point we were satiated and dessert was out of the question, although the menu was beckoning. The waiter said that he would have the bartender mix up a non-alcoholic fresh fruit drink for us (500 RUR for two) that we would like. Think of it as liquid dessert – and it was off the chart excellent! The barman came over and relayed what was in it – ask for it if you are at Chicago Prime, with or without alcohol. I would characterize it as a strawberry cousin to a Pina Colada.
We took an order of cheesecake home that was the centerpiece of breakfast this morning. There was also a nice card in the bag thanking us for our patronage and wishing us to return soon – nice touch, and not seen often in Moscow, it seems.
Our final bill pushed 11,000 rubles without gratuity. Keep in mind that we did not drink alcohol – after all, it was a Monday – so your bill can climb quickly. At the same time, we had a few dishes upon the recommendation of our waiter that we would not have had otherwise, as well as our super after-dinner cocktail times two made by the Erik the Barman.
In short, I have only good things to say about our dining experience at Chicago Prime. Location is accessible, pricing as expected, food exquisite and superb service. I highly recommend Chicago Prime for business dinners, relatives in town that need to be wooed, or a nice experience for a couple. |
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| 211. | BQ Café
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BQ Café
It was on a dreary and rainy October when BQ Café (BQ) appeared in my crosshairs for a dinner review. As always, I checked out BBQ’s website before heading out the door – metro Novokuznetskaya, and an area of Moscow that I do not know well. Thus, I fully expected to have a minor headache locating BQ once on the street.
Much to my surprise, however, BQ is extremely easy to find, even in the dark and cold rain. Novokuznestskaya has one exit – go up the escalator, exit, walk across the courtyard, and BQ is immediately in front of you about 50 m on the corner, behind the small statue and benches.
My dinner date had to cancel on me at the last minute. I called several friends with an offer to join, but the notice was either too short or “I’m not in Moscow right now”, so, that being said, I entered the BQ pit alone.
Upon entering, I was cheerfully greeted and told to proceed to the second floor. There is a bar on the first floor and second floor, as well as large table seating areas. And, on Friday, BQ is a busy place – to say the least, the tables were full, and, as such, I would recommend making a reservation prior to arriving.
To be honest and to save you time reading – BQ is fantastic, and I recommend it without reservation. The atmosphere and design are enchanting, the service excellent, the menu moderately priced, and the food five-star.
What differentiates BQ most of all, however, is a piece of a three-year recurring dream for me – being able to browse the menu, order, summon your server, and request your check from an iPad! Not your own iPad, but, yes, BBQ will give you one of their iPads loaded with the current menu offerings, in Russian and English. If you are familiar with an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, you will understand immediately how to browse. If not, your waiter or waitress will be more than happy to assist.
The software suite is well-thought out and including an easy switch between Russian and English is a huge plus. You click the “+” on the item that you want to order, and it goes into what is essentially your shopping cart. After making your choices, you push the “my order” button to see your shopping cart. From that screen, you can easily delete, add, or modify (through a text box) your order, and then send it. After your order is sent, your server will confirm it with you.
After slinking through the ordering process with ease, it was time to indulge in what I ordered as it came down the pike.
The first salvo was unfiltered BBQ microbrew beer (190 RUB, 500ml) and a pina colada (350 RUB) to complement my chicken quesadilla (410 RUB). Even if I was dining alone, I was still going to drink for two! The beer was flavorful and cold, the pina colada made Jimmy Buffet proud, and the quesadilla hungrily melted in my mouth.
The second salvo was the Spanish assortment of meats (850 RUB) from the Tapas Menu, mushrooms enoki wrapped in bacon (320 RUB), and eurovareniki (220 RUB). The Spanish assortment includes a wide array of tastes – Cheese Manchego, Marcon Iberico, Choriozo Iberico, Bayonne Ham, Stuffed Pappers, Green Olives, Croutons, and Lomo Iberico – and is one of the several Tapas plates that are great starters for a group meal.
The enoki mushroom dish is one of the “mushroom season” dishes being offered currently and was a refreshingly different taste served with fresh asparagus. I believe that the eurovareniki are available all year, and I enthusiastically recommend them. Served in a crisp housing of thin dough, they explode – simply explode – with flavor once you take a bite. On my return trip – and it will likely be this Sunday evening for live NFL football – I will definitely order the eurovareniki.
At this point in the meal, I was happily satiated, but I knew I still had my main course on the grill. I pushed the button on my iPad to summon my server, and politely requested a 30 minute break before the next salvo, as well as another BBQ microbrew beer (190 RUB, 500ml). I then sat back, read up on some news, and simply indulged in the staged changing from a sit-down restaurant to a dance floor restaurant a la Tema Bar.
The main course of BQ pork ribs and french fries (490 RUB) arrived on time and piping hot. I, however, was still on the sidelines satiated, so I pushed the button to request that they package it for me to take home. I can say that the ribs were excellent the next day for lunch since the sauce had soaked into them overnight. However, there are many attractive main course offerings on the BQ menu, and I will try something else on my next visit.
The total for the evening was 3020 RUB and is a bit skewed on the high side since I purposefully chose the 850 RUB tapas and indulged in a pina colada for 350 RUB. As such, a person can visit BQ for a fine meal and drink or two at a moderate price and indulge in the pleasant atmosphere that makes a person want to return again and again.
Atmosphere and other points to take into account:
BQ attracts a younger, hip crowd, so the music and surroundings reflect this; however, everything is done with good taste. The big screen televisions on my floor were showing a mix of sporting events and music videos, neither of which dominated my meal. I was told, as well, that the music and lighting changes several times per day – morning from 0800 to 1200 has a peppier, wake me up like coffee vibe, 1200 to 1600 is a mix of music to the 1990s, 1600 to 1800 is happy hour with a laid back feel, 1800 to 2200 is edgier cocktail, and from 2200 to the wee hours of the morning showcases a DJ or live music.
BBQ has free Wi-Fi and outlets that are the most readily available and numerous of any restaurant or café that I have seen in Moscow to date. This is a huge plus because BQ is a superb location for either a working dinner or after dinner wind down.
Happy hour is from 1600 to 1800 with attractive drink specials and replays of sporting events from previous days.
BQ offers a Weekend Lunch that is a rotating special menu from the chef for 1111 RUB that is enough food, generally speaking, for two .
BQ celebrates holidays – US, EUR, and RUS. For instance, Halloween runs from 21 October until 31 October, with thematic decorations and menu/bar offerings.
Loyalty card: Free with first visit and offers a 5-10% earned credit forward, not an immediate discount. |
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| 212. | Mio
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Fruity Daytime Clubbing Experience
Having been briefed to specifically review Mio's food, rather than its music or ambience, I decided to make a reservation for lunch rather than in the evening in the hope that I wouldn't be distracted by the atmosphere and could therefore concentrate 100% on the food. I should imagine the place is really quite buzzing at night. Reservations are essential on Friday and Saturdays and recommended at all times for larger groups.
Mio, fashionable among the young trendy Russian set, launched itself as a DJ cafe, but is now trying to establish itself as a worthy eatery too. One method of food marketing they have adopted is a weekly mail out of lunch menus to regular customers, who also include diplomats from the nearby French embassy. Slightly apprehensive about hanging out in a nightclub during daylight hours, imagining dingy, smoky surroundings, I was pleasantly surprised by the light, fresh and clean restaurant area. The comfy sofa we collapsed onto was very welcome.
As lunch was scheduled for the Morning After The Night Before, Natasha and I were both in need of detox so ordered fresh carrot and apple juices (140rbl). We then studied the very extensive menu which includes summer dishes, meat, fish, pasta, salads and the inevitable standard page of sushi. The cuisine is mostly Italian and French (with the token Japanese) and it is perhaps worth noting that the menus are only in Russian at the moment, although they are in the process of being translated into English.
I sampled the Duck Salad with Pineapple (210rbl) which was fruity and yet light and filling. It included cranberries, lettuce and tomatoes and had that too-good-to-be-true yummy but healthy taste; always an unlikely combination and one I can never quite trust. Natasha opted for a Caesar Salad with Salmon (220rbl). The dressing was wonderful and the parmesan good, although apparently the salmon could have been a little less chewy.
I then chose Pork Shashlik (120rbl) which was deliciously tender and just the right size as the main course of a light lunch. I personally think garnish is a waste of time, but my shashlik was accompanied with the most exotic looking carrot gratings I've ever seen. They looked far too glamorous to actually eat.
Natasha's main course option brings me round to a common complaint of Moscow restaurant reviewers: Why can't the Muscovites leave sushi to the experts? Her tuna rolls (170rbl) were mediocre, while her salmon sushi (80rbl) and yellow tail fish sushi (210rbl) were really below average, and one even had to be returned to the kitchen with a comment that the fish may have been off.
I am loathe having to grumble about this because I honestly enjoyed my Mio meal and would like to recommend the place, however I do feel obliged to warn any potential patrons to avoid the sushi there.
My advice is to stick to the modern European options, and your experience should be good and definitely worth the slight challenge of finding the venue. |
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| 213. | Chemodan (Suitcase)
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By the mid-C19th, central Siberia was booming. Settlers rights, unlimited free land, freedom for runaway serfs, and tolerance for religious minorities banned in European Russia were just some of the reasons...a gold rush, diamond mines, the post-road to Moscow, and rumours of untold and untapped riches had even stronger appeal. In place of shady taverns and shoddy flophouses, fine eateries and respectable hotels sprang up to cater to Siberia's new bourgeoisie - mine-owners, factory magnates, railway tycoons and families like the Demidovs, whose commercial interests ran far and wide.
“Chemodan” isn't just a Russian-cuisine restaurant – it's specifically a Siberian restaurant, with a menu featuring the freshest river-fish from Siberia's vast rivers and lakes, game dishes from the riches of the taiga forests, pickles and preserves featuring mushrooms and berries that barely even have dictionary names in English. In fact “Chemodan” in Moscow is a branch of the same restaurant in Krasnoyarsk. Well-known actor Oleg Menshikov visited the restaurant there and went in for supper – and loved it so much, that he decided to open another in Moscow. Very frequently movie-actor-owned restaurants are great ideas that fail to work in reality – but in this case, the established know-how and local Siberian expertise that made Chemodan a success in Siberia has transplanted superbly to Moscow.
The individual triumph of Chemodan offering delicious cuisine at medium-high prices (certainly not cheap - but you could easily spend double on dross in Moscow) and without the vacuous ostentation of its rivals. If you want to treat your visiting relatives or business colleagues to fine traditional Russian food, then this is the new pretender to the throne. No waiters in fake C19th livery, no hokum chandeliers, and no twaddle with calling clients “Milord” - this is honest, excellent cooking, on attractive plain white porcelain, with charming and personable multilingual staff in plain black shirts. The dining-room echoes upright provincial excellence of the mid-C19th – no nonsense, but very charming and atmospheric, and a welcome relief from the Theme Park interiors elsewhere. The food is served with quiet, confident pride and expertise – some of the staff are Siberians themselves. The table staff can tell you which rivers the fish come from, and what gives each recipe its special flourish. Restaurants further round the Boulevard Ring will be looking to their laurels – Chemodan will keep them on their toes.
On our waiter's recommendation, we took some house specialities as appetisers – but be warned, some of these dishes come in Siberian-sized portions, and a single appetiser would easily feed two. Emilia instantly warmed to the tenderness of the Venison Carpaccio (490 RUB), while I dived into a truly Siberian experience – stroganina, cold cuts of naturally-frozen fish. I'd had it before in Siberia with friends, but the Chir – translated on the menu as Blue-Back Salmon Stroganina, 590 RUB – exceeded all expectations. With an accompanying dipping sauce and seasoning, this was truly delectable eating – fat-free, carb-free, and guilt-free. In fact lightness, delicacies are hallmarks of Chemodan's menu, in sharp contrast to what you may have expected.
Although there's an extensive wine-list, I strongly recommend you to leave it unopened – the correct accompaniments to Siberian food are plain or flavoured vodkas, or the fruit-flavoured alcoholic tipples found in Siberian homes of the nineteenth century. The menu not only lists them, but gives an insightful account, in endearingly wonky English, of how they are made, and the lore and traditions surrounding them. Even long-term expat stalwarts are unlikely ever to have tried Erofeich – but these potent liqueurs were the staple of the Siberian table from the C17th onwards... and pack a powerful 56-percent-proof punch. A superlative accompaniment to my stroganina, in every sense! However, with ladies present we restricted our other drinking to the fruitier tipples with marginally lower alcohol content – Emilia's Honeysuckle Nalivka(196 RUB) – 26-percent-proof and coming in at a mere was pleasantly tart, while my own Blueberry Nalivka (180 RUB) was attractively and authentically sweet.
Salads aren't part of the Siberian scene, and probably we should have gone with the delicious-sounding soups on offer instead. Emilia had a Salad with slightly salted Whitefish, Avocado and Sweet Pepper (490 RUB) – nice enough if you wanted it, but rather out-of-place amid the Siberian specialities. This dish wasn't really too different from what you might make yourself at home. We had a few reservations about the limp green lettuce-leaves, however. They also topped my Warm Salad with Tiger Prawns, Mussels, Mushrooms under Garlic-Soy Sauce (690 RUB), but were only there for decoration, and I didn't bother with them. Once again, we'd blundered into ordering food that isn't Siberian – unless prawns now live there?
But things were firmly back on an even keel with our waiter-recommended main courses. Steamed Siberian Whitefish (890 RUB) is one of the most delicate things I've tasted in many a year. In fact it's been smoked before steaming, and was both succulently tender and sophisticated in taste - I could happily eat this every day. And once again – easy on the waistline, served with mouthwatering mushrooms. Emilia found her Grilled Cutlets of Siberian Stag (890 RUB) a trifle too pink in the middle – but you may find them to your taste, or might request them more well-done? Delicious aromatic black bread came on the side.
For dessert we shared a Walnut Soufflé, especially as the recipe came from “Exemplary Cuisine of Krasnoyarsk, 1892” - the source of quite a few other house specialities. To go with it while we had very pleasant espresso, and a pot of Guan Yin Iron Bodhisattva Tea (390 RUB).
Fine food, fine service, and a warm, relaxed atmosphere – what's not to like? All the ingredients of a memorable meal in Moscow are here – the only thing missing is you. Word is already out about Chemodan, and the place was packed when we went midweek - so be sure to book in the evenings. Or pop along for their 450 RUB Business Lunch (12pm–17pm) instead? |
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| 214. | B2 Summer Terrace
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Too hot to cook at home? In Uzbekistan they know about hot, so letting them do the cooking seemed like a good idea. Although many Moscow restaurants serve their regular menu outdoors in summer, B2 have gone one stage further, and set-up an Uzbek outdoor caff in their courtyard - for the authentic outdoor sizzle. This is not trying to compete with the ritzy upscale Uzbek eateries in Moscow - this is honest, Uzbek street-cafe food, priced to persuade you against cooking at home this evening. There is no hokum Uzbek decor - decent and respectable beer-garden patio furniture, and- all the tables are under cover, to save you and your supper from a sudden drenching in the Moscow monsoon season (aka "summer"). You can slob-out shamelessly here and no one will mind - shorts, t-shirts, trainers, whatever you feel comfortable in, bring the kids, it's the perfect antidote to posy dining.
The menu's strong, although not long, on Uzbek standards, and it's all cooked fresh by the guys over there behind the rotisseries. Think of it as a bar with a substantial food menu, and you've got the right approach. The portion-sizes are ideal for snacking, so you can follow central-asian custom and order yourself a selection. There is, however, no pressure on you to order any food at all - if you like you can just drink, so if you just fancy a "beer with a little something", you're in the right place.
We pitched straight in with some pastry appetisers with our drinks - Samsas are like small individual naan-breads, cooked in the tandoor oven, with a little spicy lamb, and go for a mere 20Rbs (you'll want to order at least a couple of these). If an attack of the munchies whilst waiting on some grim station has led to a lifetime's hatred of Cheburek, think again - the cheese ones (60Rbs) here are delicious and light, and not at all greasy.
Plov (pilaff) is the traditional Uzbek staple, and Uzbeksky Plov (150Rbs) didn't disappoint - a generous helping of nice lamb mixed into the tasty rice & veg mix. To provide a little backbone to the meal, we ordered some shashliks - which are priced here per skewerful. It's more fun to mix-and-match, but you ought to reckon on 2+ skewers per person if you're thinking in terms of a main course. The Lamb (90Rbs) was suitably juicy, although the Salmon (90Rbs) was cold when it arrived. The Vegetable shashlik (80Rbs) really needed marinating, the vegetables were quite dry. There are some nice sauces to have on the side - although it's a Georgian interloper on an Uzbek menu, the tkemahli sauce (sour plum) is the perfect partner to the lamb. A plate of rather dull salad and some green herbs made up a rather half-hearted vitamin element to the meal.
There's a good selection of fresh juices (around 140Rbs), although the equally-tempting cocktails don't quite hit the spot - we had a disappointing Mohito (210Rbs) and a very sour Capirinha (150Rbs), and wished we'd stuck to beer or classic drinks.
This is real Uzbek food as served down any alley in Bokhara - tasty, simple, substantial, unpretentious and cheap - and ideal on any occasion when that's what you're after. The (piped) Uzbek music is quiet enough to talk easily, and the service is fast. English-language menus are promised this week too. |
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| 215. | Cheapside
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Russians who learned their English with the help of Jane Austen (or more likely the smouldering Colin Firth as Mr Darcy) probably know Cheapside best as a London location sneerily dismissed amid the snobbish banter of the Bennett sisters. The issue was its connection with ‘trade’, a lowly pursuit inappropriate for persons of true wealth and breeding, even though they had no scruple about buying goods in what was once London’s most fashionable shopping street.
Today, of course, trade has fewer negative connotations outside of the blue-blooded aristocracy, and the commercial hub in Belaya Ploshchad is one of Moscow’s more conspicuously busy business districts.
As a result it’s also picked up a cluster of bars and cafes – including a few representatives of Moscow’s burgeoning gourmet fast food trend – to feed the Stakhanovite shock troops of the new economic era in between vigorous sessions on tablet and Mac.
Cheapside Josper Bistro, the latest addition to the Coffee Mania portfolio, fits this branding well. The decor, described in one Russian magazine as ‘restaurants for successful men’ is loft-inspired: the kitchen, like at the owners’ Italian restaurant Barmalini, is open, although staff slaving over a hot grill make for a less exciting show than the dough-juggling pizza chefs at the partner venue. Elsewhere its bare brickwork, a retro fan and a large communal table dominating the room with a scattering of side tables for slightly more privacy. The restaurant seats 52, but there’s an expectation that people will hunker down together rather than isolate themselves on individual tables.
The menu is similarly unpretentious: meat and fish, cooked over an open flame. Pride of place goes to the burgers, with a wide assortment of diverse approaches to the old beef-in-a-bun formula. We went for the Mexican (700 RUR), which was a surprisingly unspicy affair, even allowing for Russia’s general wariness of hot food. However, this wasn’t really the aim: instead of powering up the chili and letting rip, the chefs aimed to create a more subtle combination of flavours with a hint of fresh lime giving an unexpected lightness to the palate. Not quite as expected, but pleasant. The meat was good, among the best I’ve tried in Moscow and certainly tasty enough to encourage repeat visits to explore the other burgers on offer. Prices might be uppish compared with the old favorites at Starlite Diner or Beverly Hills, but there’s more imagination in how the burgers are put together and – on this evidence, at least – the service is a bit more attentive than can sometimes be the case as the longer established chains.
Unlike most burger joints in town, sides are ordered separately; there’s no standard burger set slapped down whether you like it or not. So, if you want fries, make sure to order them for an extra 150 RUR. Coleslaw (250 RUR) is one of the options and it also opened up one of the great mysteries of Russian kitchens. Cabbage and carrot are key features of local food. Few Russian salads are complete with a generous slathering of mayo. So why is it that coleslaw, that stable of carrot, cabbage and mayo, always comes out very different here? This one was an impressively healthy, low fat option with just a hint of mayo to keep it together. Once again, not bad, but not quite as expected.
There’s also a small grill menu offering meat and fish. The salmon (800 RUR) here was a success, the duck (800 RUR), sadly, was unavailable. Vegetarians who don’t eat fish might struggle to find much on the menu to attract them, however. There’s no veggie burger and meat-free options are limited to a few salads and starters. This is a kitchen that knows what it wants to cook and is happy to focus strongly on that alone.
That straightforward ‘I know what I like’ approach is part of what makes Cheapside work. Rather than try to cover too many bases, it focuses on a small group of dishes that it can do well and chases a clientele that will go for it. Ultimately Cheapside Josper Bistro is a very masculine place to eat. Maybe it’s the plate-glass surroundings of Belaya Ploshchad, redolent of the thrusting world of smart-suited business conquistadores. Maybe it’s the meat-heavy menu. Maybe it’s the TV sport quietly playing in the background.
Whatever, this isn’t really the kind of place you’d pick for a girlie cocktail night even if there are three basic cocktails listed on the menu. Indeed it’s probably not the place you’d pick for a night out anyway. This has the feel of a lunchtime haunt; a cut above fast food or the dubious merits of the bizniz lanch, without burdening itself with the pretentions of a full-blown restaurant experience. That’s where it performs most strongly, and is likely to be the root of its future success in this location. |
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| 216. | Golden Apple
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The great empires of antiquity clashed over a Golden Apple - the incident in which King Priams son Paris gave one to the Goddess Aphrodite prompted the Trojan Wars. And it was way back when Ajax and Agamemnon were still in short pants that if you wanted supper in Moscow, you went to a hotel to eat.
Positioning itself as Moscow???s entrant in the Hip Hotel stakes, the Golden Apple is a shrine of funky chic, tucked delicately off Pushkin Square on Malaya Dmitrovka. Could the Apple Bar & Restaurant flout the Road Warriors credo that the dullest supper in town is in your own hotel?
In a city already crammed with stuffy hotels modeled on Elvis Presley's bathroom the unrepentant modernism and contemporary lines of Golden Apple makes a welcome change. Strange then that the decor for the restaurant is an odd backdrop of silhouetted woodland at dusk? After the sleek modern minimalism of the lobby, this creates a more informal and restful dining area for those dining for pleasure.
The bar area (same menu available in both) reflects a more urgent and metropolitan mojo, and since all the tables there were taken we opted to dine in the woods. There are around twenty tables overall with a ratio of wait-staff to diners that is admirably generous.
And what staff they are, too...extensive knowledge of the nuances of the entire menu and seasonal specials with enviable command of stylistic English - a perfect balance between enthusiasm and helpfulness. Nor was there any cajoling towards the high-end dishes or wines, or to over-order. Whilst we pored over the menu a complimentary gazpacho cocktail appeared ??? piquant and very pleasant.
Apple Bar features a permanent menu of international dishes alongside a Specials menu that changes monthly. July???s theme was summer fruits so I pitched in with a Fruity-Cool cocktail (350 Rbs) that slipped down so easily that I had another before really noticing how potent the blend of vodka, banana liqueur, and fruit brandy was. Equally powerful was my friend Olga???s Cosmopolitan (280 Rbs) - but its concentrated intensity didn???t hit the mood, and it languished unfinished.
The prompt and cheerful service quickly rustled-up two contrasting salads alongside some delicious home-baked bread. Olga munched happily on a Crispy Frisee Salad with Deepfried Seafood on a Rasberry Coulis (360 Rbs), pausing only to lament the fate of the junior octopuses therein. My own salad was a shameless splurge, but worth every kopek of 750 Rbs for the self-righteous glow achieved from near-fatless Lobster-Mango Salad. A Classic Mojito came along (for 390 Rbs) to replace the unappreciated Cosmo, and this prompted the order of wine for the main courses. As usual our ideas on choosing red or white differed - but Apple Bar has a good selection of wines by the glass. With a beef entree in view Olga went for a luscious Concha y Toro Trio for just 240 Rbs. My white was 2005 Tavel Prestige des Lauzeraies with elegant crispness as a counterpoint to fish, but since I was already three sheets to the wind after the deadly Fruity-Cools - and moreover because the wine was 380 Rbs per succulent glassful - I limited myself to just one, with healthy gulps of Evian alongside.
We moved on to the entrees, and Olga followed the waitress's strong recommendation for the Entrecote (800 Rbs), which came magnificent presented with coriander and black pepper, with a gratin of potato and mushroom If you prefer your steak well-done then remember to ask them - the default order is lightly seared only. My misgivings that Salmon + Cod Baked in Filo Pastry (680 Rbs) might be dry were unfounded some nice Hollandaise kept things agreeably moist, and all light and delicate enough to leave space for dessert.
Following her more classical theme Olga chose a Classic Baked Cheesecake - a dish that is often dehydrated tvorog on toast in Moscow, but this one was spot-on for 250 Rbs. The same asking-price brought some very good marinated figs and the curtain came down on some Margentau loose leaf tea (160 Rbs) and my habitual Double Espresso (210 Rbs).
Clearly the menu-pricing is aimed at Business Travelers - and these were clearly 90% of our fellow diners. However the contemporary decor - and welcome absence of blaring Russian pop - earmark Apple Bar as an ideal place for continuing business discussions over an elegant supper. When entertaining clients the last thing you need is wrangles with the waiters, and the super service here makes it a strong recommendation on that score. |
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| 217. | Simple Pleasures
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Close your eyes, imagine walking into a Restaurant that still has work going on at the main entrance, an awful start you may think, well that is what I thought it would be when I was invited to a new place on Sretenka, here we go again says I, battle my way through a building site, fight off sleepy workers who don't seem to know what day it is, well to my pleasurable surprise, it wasn't what I dreaded.
We were met at the door by smiling staff, yes they smiled, they spoke English, and they were pleasant to us, even helpful, unbelievable huh?
The phrase "Simple Pleasures" may have a multitude of meanings to different people, to me it has always meant "no stress, no hassle and enjoyable", well, after myself and Polly went to Jerry Ruditser's new restaurant on Sretenka Street, "Simple Pleasures" took on a new meaning for me.
A little background first should help, Jerry is the founder and owner of the first Western Style coffee shops in Moscow which appeared in the middle 90's, "The Coffee Bean" is well known by most people in Moscow and provides a great way of grabbing a coffee and relaxing with your pals or to meet informally with a client. Jerry has brought chef Tony Baran to Moscow, this guy is not only a great chef, but has a presence that is both comfortable and likeable immediately, much to my disgust he chatted to Polly in fluent Spanish and seems to be picking up the Rusky lingo as well, makes me sick these people who are talented. .
There seemed to be a gap for a quality and reasonably priced Restaurant that provides food with a different twist, Tony the Head chef at "Simple Pleasures" calls it his "West Coast American Twist". To be honest I really didn't have any pre-conceptions, apart from the chance to rip this place apart with my arrogant style and loud mouthed behavior, I thought I could really give it a bad write up, it started from the moment we walked in downstairs, there was still work being carried out downstairs, this meant the place would be like a building site right? The entrance was a bit messy so I looked forward to viewing a mass of remonted and unfinished works.
Well I hate to admit it but I was wrong again, once climbing the stairs into the main area on the first floor, the simple and clean decor, the huge ceiling to floor windows that looked onto the then traffic jammed Sretenka, had an instant relaxing charm, there is a back room that has great potential, an open fire place and again large windows, ideal for a company function.
We were shown to a table by the window which gave me the opportunity to look down at the mass of traffic on this busy street. A little note on that, in all seriousness, if you have to drive on Sretinka, it is worth stopping for an hour or so for a coffee or bite to eat, the traffic cleared up after about an hour or so.
The meal, sounds like a start of an epic film huh? Well it was, a bottle of water was brought as well as some delicious bread and roasted Garlic, you can have traditional or almost a tappas style starter of various small dishes of hot and cold platters, we had Grilled Egg Plant with North African Hummus (180Rb), Whole Baby Fried Chicken (288Rb) usually more than enough for 2 but Polly ate half of it, which, of course didn't make me very happy, Spicy Korean Style Shrimp (180Rb), Grilled Lamb Sausage (210Rb) with a little Tony the chef Spice, Sesame Seared Tuna with amazingly prepared cucumber and peppers (380Rb) and Italian Salami served with roasted apples (210Rb). Well after that little lot I was feeling ready for my desert; I thought it was the starter and main course, Readle wrong again.
Main course, Grilled Pork Chop on a bed of delicious mashed potatoes (448Rb), Smoked Tenderloin Beef with spinach and mashed potatoes (864 Rb), and Cured MR Muscovy Duck (288Rb). I forgot to mention, the house wine is delicious, served in half liter carafe and priced at only 200Rb, normally reasonably priced Restaurants charge a fortune for even mediocre wine, this was light and very tasty, and the price, well getting tipsy here isn't difficult.
For desert, we had a Caramelized Apple with ice cream dish and a Sponge Cake covered with delicious chocolate. Both dishes had wild berries and strawberries which complimented the whole meal.
OK, that is the official stuff out of the way, some people like to see what was eaten and how much, me, well it was really an experience that I am happy I tried, it wasn't just the food, thanks Jerry you have a very special talent that is lacking in many a Restaurant in Moscow, it wasn't just the decor or the smiling friendly and efficient staff, it was the whole ambiance that created a dining experience that was simply pleasurable, no pun intended.
So to summarize, the works going on gave it an unfinished ambiance, the back room upstairs wasn't ready but has great potential, the overall impression was in my mind very good bordering on excellent, the food and presentation was an experience that many restaurant owners in town could do well to view and emulate. |
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| 218. | Food Embassy
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Celebrity chefs are steadily taking over the world’s eating habits – and Russia is no exception. But it’s not all about high profile openings from international brands, like Jamie Oliver’s recent arrival in Moscow. There’s also a strong batch of local contenders, with celebrated actress Julia Vysotskaya leading the way.
Vysotskaya comes from the ‘yummy mummy’ school of cookery, one of those domestic goddesses who manages to whip up delicious looking food on long-running TV shows while still looking effortlessly gorgeous in the process. The brand, which has long encompassed cook books, culinary tourism and signature kitchenware, also powers the Food Embassy restaurant – one of the flagships of Moscow’s post-pafosny food revolution.
The Vystoskaya brand seeks to promote an idealised yet attainable life – and that principle is obvious from the approach to the restaurant. It fits well into the switch in focus in the city’s dining scene, where an exaggerated homely vibe is steadily – and thankfully – replacing the overdressed to impress venues of recent years. As such Food Embassy, with its plain wooden interior and artfully arranged ‘babushka’s dacha’ knick-knacks cleverly plays on the illusions of what life might be like for Moscow’s middle class if it wasn’t stuck in cramped apartments in a sprawling metropolis. Even the weekend entertainment for kids is aspirational – clowns and balloons replaced by classes in Oshibana, a Japanese art of making pictures from pressed flowers, leaves and seeds. Large windows, lots of natural light and views of a botanical garden from the upper levels complete the effect – it’s not an unattainable Rublyovka mansion, it’s just a slightly nicer version of the family ‘cottedzh’ you might be able to afford yourself.
That’s very much the charm of the place. The menu, which has echoes of a gastro-pub that perhaps reflect the legacy of the English chef who helped set up the kitchen here, offers dishes that are interesting, and more complicated than you could be bothered to cook for yourself, but that nonetheless don’t leave you feeling lack a slack-jawed yokel in the presence of great sophisticates. And, after all, if you enjoy your dinner you can always buy the book, keep it in your kitchen and never quite around to recreating the feast for yourself.
Most importantly, though, the food is excellent. Whether the image strikes you as sublime or ‘Stepford Wives’, there’s no arguing about what arrives on the plate. The Rabbit in the Woods looked terrific, with a green foam of pureed fennel and clusters of berries creating a sylvan backdrop for the meat. And what meat! Tenderly cooked to perfection, sliding off the bone at the first touch of a fork and melting in the mouth. The recipe books, no doubt, suggest that this is straightforward; experience shows that serving any meat like this demands a chef on top of his game.
That dish alone would be worth returning for and its quality suggests that the rest of the menu deserves greater attention. However, the supporting acts also justified their place on the cast list. Warming, nourishing soups for the winter months – the Creamed Pea and Smoked Ham Soup was a rare treat, especially for someone who isn’t a big soup lover. A diverse range of salads that combines local favourites – herring, beetroot and potato could hardly be more stolidly Russian without being slathered in mayo – and international hits. That doesn’t just mean yet another Caesar; the list also includes Food Embassy’s take on the flagship Cobb Salad inspired by the famed 192 Notting Hill restaurant in London.
The drinks selection is also worth browsing – and this is a place that takes care to offer a good range of non-alcoholic drinks as well. My wife was intrigued and impressed with a halva-flavoured coffee, setting aside her common grumble that coffee should taste of coffee (and, by implication, halva of halva) for this unusual but effective combination. The ginger lemonade, a fairly common feature on Moscow menus, was also one of the best examples I’ve tried: a refreshing lemony kick to start with and a slow, warming tang of ginger in the after-taste rather than the oversweetened, under-flavoured offerings found elsewhere. For a lunch meeting or a designated driver, the soft drinks menu is a winner; for those on the booze, the cocktails come with a good reputation.
There’s an extensive terrace and, as mentioned above, it’s next to the botanical gardens on Prospect Mira. With our long-awaited spring finally looking like it might be here to stay, Food Embassy is coming into its own as a place for good food in the open air and is definitely worth checking out for a lazy weekend lunch or a convivial catch-up dinner with a group of friends. |
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| 219. | Kavkazskaya Plennitsa
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In a city where restaurants come and go with alarming speed, only a few stay in business for long enough to deserve the title of “Moscow institution”. But, with 14 years of toil over a hot stove, Kavkazskaya Plennitsa (The Prisoner of the Caucasus) has proved its staying power, long before the recent crop of Georgian cafes began to pop up all over the city. The name is taken from a popular Soviet-era film (known in English as “Kidnapping, Caucasian style”), a 1967 comedy based loosely on a Pushkin poem, which trades heavily on the exotic charms of the frontiers of the former USSR. Rustic scenes and references to the movie inform much of the décor of the restaurant.
No prizes for guessing that Georgian cuisine dominates the menu here. Head chef Olga Gulieva grew up in Sukhumi, the principle city of Abkhazia, and the flavors of her homeland are deeply engrained in her kitchen. Georgian food is best sampled via a large assortment of dishes, ideally shared around the table – shashlyk and khachapuri are essential, but it’s also worth experimenting with a few starters. Here the Chicken Satsivi (430 RUR), a kind of cold, creamy chicken soup with a piquant, nutty flavor, was hugely impressive. The meat was done to perfection, with none of the slightly unnerving sense that it might be underdone which often undermines this dish. Other eminently snackable starters include lobio – green and red varieties here – delicate balls of aromatic, fresh-flavored goodness built around beans (the type of bean determines the color, although the flavors come as much from the herbs as anything else), and fresh fruits and veg (eggplant, prune and more) stuffed with ground walnuts and similar treats.
No Georgian meal would be complete without a Khachapuri, and the Adjarian version (570 RUR), topped with an egg frying merrily on the piping hot cheese is the king of this staple of trans-Caucasian cuisine. Once again the Kavkazskaya Plennitsa version was impressive – and apparently became Steven Seagal’s favorite dish when he visited Moscow and dined here. Clearly he chooses his dinners better than his scripts.
And, just as it’s impossible to avoid khachapuri, so Shashlyk – the much-loved flavor of fresh-grilled meat – is also an integral part of the Caucasian dining experience (and one rapidly adopted by the rest of the Imperial Russia). Again, this isn’t something you’d struggle to find on a menu elsewhere in Moscow, so quality is the key, and the staff recommended the lamb. And again, the freshness of the ingredients makes the New Zealand Lamb Chops (1400 RUR) a juicy, finger-licking joy (yes, fingers. Nobody should attempt this with a knife and fork). The Lamb’s Tongue (1050 RUR) was a surprising treat. Not having had tongue since childhood (when it made the short journey from tin to sandwich to infant disapproval), I was impressed with the tenderness of the meat when served in a more natural state.
In a crowded market, Gulieva’s dishes stand out for their quality: a cut above many of the Georgian cafes which have opened around town over the past 18 months or so and on a par with the best I’ve tried in this city.
With several rooms, ranging from a cozy nook for private parties to a large dining hall complete with a stage and a live band (a band which taps directly into the nostalgic feel with a repertoire of slightly saccharine songs which clearly mean a lot to locals but are largely unknown to expats) there’s something for everyone. And the summer terrace, sharing a leafy border with the neighboring park, feels a world away from the bustle of Prospekt Mira. The restaurant is proud of sourcing fresh, organic meat, but the chickens cooped in one corner are not on the menu – only their fresh-laid eggs do find their way to the kitchen. Although the overall theme is taken from the movie, complete with a model donkey and even a discarded shoe preserved in memory of a crucial plot twist, its appeal is not limited to movie buffs. Instead it manages the neat trick of combining a hint of the exotic with a strong waft of nostalgia, meaning for foreign guests it is both adventurous and reassuring at the same time.
Even on a chilly Tuesday, the place was busy with a mixture of besuited businessmen draining the company expense account and family groups who look like regular clients. The crowd is far from the cutting edge, hipster types who flock to the self-conscious venues around Krasny Oktyabr or ironical haunt the slightly arch retro-chic of the Kamchatka beer bar (like Kavkazskaya Plennitsa, operated by the Novikov group).
Verdict: Kavkazskaya Plennitsa is a great place to try Georgian food – or come back for some old favorites. Prices might be a bit higher than some of the competition, but in general you get what you pay for and the food is good enough to justify the mark-up. This place feels like somewhere which would be a success with visitors to Moscow – much like GlavPivTorg it is foreign enough to be intriguing, without becoming intimidating for the uninitiated. And with some of the highest quality Georgian cuisine in town, it’s worth coming back more than once. |
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| 220. | Laffa Laffa
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Having a Laffa
Moscow’s cafe culture has been transformed over the years: after years of over-priced ‘see and be seen’ affairs or mediocre fast-food chains a welcome range of new openings in the past 18 months or so has taken us back to basics. Finally the city is embracing a kind of street food culture that values quality cooking and fresh ingredients ahead of pafosny posturing.
Laffa Laffa is the latest in this wave. It has two sites – one on Malaya Bronaya, the other on Neglinaya – and specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine. That means plenty of hummus and falafel, two dishes that have recently become fashionable across Moscow, but the star of the show, undoubtedly, is the shawurma.
Whatever experiences you might have had with shawurma before, rest assured that this is far removed from the old-school kiosk food that has largely disappeared from the city as mayor Sergei Sobyanin cut his swathe through the dubious vendors thronging every metro station.
Here the emphasis is absolutely on quality: meat and veg are freshly sourced each day and the ‘laffa’ flatbread that gives the cafes their name is baked to order at blistering speed. It all takes a bit longer than a minute to put the dish together – not quite the fastest food in town, but a more than fair compromise between time and quality.
Although Middle Eastern in aim, the concept was inspired more by the 15 years the owner of the business spent living between Moscow and London. Like many people familiar with both cities, she noticed that one had a vibrant, multi-national culinary scene and the other had, well, dodgy kiosks next to metro stations or ultra-pafosny posing palaces with next to nothing in between. Laffa Laffa aims to fill that gap.
Key staff were recruited from Lebanon and Syria to ensure authentic recipes – head chef Ali Al-Tikriti comes from Lebanon with several years’ experience of restaurant in his native Beirut and in Dubai; many of his colleagues arrived from Syria. Zen has come up with a menu that is both simple enough not to risk running astray but sufficiently varied to ensure that either of the two cafes would bear regular visits from nearby workers heading out on lunch breaks. The signature shawurma can be served with lamb or chicken, or falafel for vegetarians. There’s also a choice of sauces, from traditional hummus to a seldom seen (in Moscow, at least) amba sauce, a fruity confection based on mangoes that goes especially well with the chicken. Although advertised as spicy, Western palates may feel it’s a Russian take on spice, but that arguably helps the flavour come out and complement the meat rather than overpowering it beneath a big hit of chili.
It’s also worth exploring the dips: aside from hummus, there’s a good selection of rich, smoky vegetable mixes that just cry out to be scooped up on a hunk of laffa bread and wolfed down. The mukhamara, with a nutty after-taste, is certainly worth closer inspection. Once again, it’s a menu with plenty of choice for vegetarians – another selling point in a city where meat-free dishes are not always very easy to find. At present menus are only available in Russian, and the staff’s English is somewhat nervous, but the choices are straightforward enough to suggest that a fairly elementary grasp of Russian will be sufficient to place your order.
Neither cafe is large, and the tend to have a busy, lively atmosphere – especially at lunchtimes. The décor, informed by the street food concept, has a pop-art, graffiti-like vibe that fits in nicely with the ‘urban-trendy’ audience. It’s some distance from the pastiche Middle East of Sindibad, the long-serving restaurant from that region; it’s a bit edgier and cooler than that, and there’s no sign of rugs, curtains or shisha pipes anyway to be seen. That’s not to say it’s exclusively a hipsters’ paradise: both branches have become popular with some locals, particularly the Malaya Bronnaya site, which is even building an audience among the privileged pensioners around Patriarshiye.
Will it be a success? It deserves to be. Prices are reasonable for city-centre eats; a shawurma snack is 310-390 roubles depending on filling, dips and sambusiki (small parcels of stuffed savoury pastry) are 250 a serving and the whole thing, complete with a coffee and maybe a nibble of pakhlava compares favourably with a trip to Starbucks, making it a competitive city centre option. Laffa Laffa is also starting out at a good time, capitalising on the popularity of the hummus and falafel stalls that did a roaring trade in city parks and food festivals during the summer and offering them a more permanent home.
Admittedly, we’ve seen a few food fashions come and go – the brief Tex-mex craze that flickered and then died on a pyre of rising rents and falling sales springs to mind – but this project has a more enduring feel about it. First, the commitment to high quality food augurs well. Second, it seems apt to expand an existing market rather than trade purely on novelty. And third, as the rapid rise in sushi bars has proved in the past and the rise of cheap-and-cheerful Georgian joints is currently demonstrating, it is possible to pitch for that middle ground gap here, even with foods traditionally associated with a full-on restaurant experience or an expensive foreign holiday. |
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| 221. | Syostry Grimm (Sisters Grimm)
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Syostry Grimm (Sisters Grimm)
Do not let the name turn you off – there is nothing grim about Sisters Grimm (SG). While not out of a fairy tale like the Brothers Grimm, SG is a great place to peacefully spend an hour or two in the chaos of downtown Moscow. I will not hide it – I liked SG a lot, and if really good food and a relaxed atmosphere are your culinary opiate, you can stop reading now. Call SG, get a table, and you will walk away happy.
Going into this review, I did not quite know what to expect. My last review was an encounter with the worst, expensive burger that I have ever had, anywhere, so when SG prominently touts its burgers on its website, I thought, “Oh, great, more 500-600 ruble dung in a bun.”
Location for SG is tricky, and not tricky at the same time. From a map, you can understand where it is located, but the street view is different. We took the metro and enjoyed the short walk. On our next visit to SG a few days, we drove – and finding parking can be a minor headache, so diner bewares.
Walking down Stoleshnikov, the pedestrian arch to SG is on the opposite side of Simachev Bar, about mid-way down the cobblestone lane. Looking through the arch, you will see Gogol Café – walk towards Gogol Café, go around it to the right, and the bright pastel colors and latinesque music mean SG is near.
The interior – or rather, exterior – of the summer veranda is a refreshing break from many stuffy or crowded Moscow summer seating areas. Over the course of the meal, we commented to each other that, “This just does not feel like downtown Moscow.” I said it feels like a seaside alley in Croatia or Venice; my dining partner agreed, but said it seemed more like a pleaantly secluded summer spot you are apt to find in Saint Petersburg.
Inside SG the motif is rather carefree with specials written on the wall and ample seating. I venture that SG is also very pleasant in the non-summer months. A window seat on a nice snowy day with flakes coming down like Pacino in Scarface comes to mind.
From the minute we approached SG, we were greeted by a friendly hostess who not only made sure we found a table just right for us, but actually explained the specials for the day and other menu offerings. This is in stark contrast to the “hostess sits you down and flees, and waiter comes 5-10 minutes later (and is clueless)” at many Moscow restaurants as of late.
I asked her what she recommended, and she told me all 4 sangrias are good. Moreover, she told me why, and I settled on the cherry sangria (180 RUB) for the opening salvo. My dining partner went with a mouth-watering strawberry smoothie (250 RUB).
In general, I can tolerate – although not happily – really bad service if the food at a restaurant is even better. SG, thankfully, offers both attentive staff and food that is off the chart. And, honestly, what really matters at a restaurant when the check arrives is whether the food was good or not.
SG offers a diverse menu with hot and cold appetizers, salads made to order, and soups. I chose a salad with beef (340 RUB) and my dining partner went with a beet and cheese salad (320 RUB). While the names are remotely appealing, at best, in English, the salads were exquisite. I commented that mine was a perfect mix of tangy and sweet. The beet salad had two awesome cheeses – I believe goat cheese and a sharp parmesan type – and my fork was deftly fended off several times during repeated incursions.
We also ordered a quiche with eggplant (180 RUB) since the description begged us to try it. While the quiche met expectations and was good on its own, I would suggest instead getting a different salad from the menu to share – the salads truly are refreshingly good. A complimentary basket of fresh bread was served the salads and quiche also.
At that point in the meal, I was already raving about how “I really like that place” and already texting friends that we should meet up at SG later in the week, as none of them had heard of it either.
For entrées, we went with the aforementioned duck, duck, lamb – my dining partner chose the leg of duck (455 RUB) with grilled vegetables (180 RUB), and I went a bit out of my comfort zone and chose the Dagestani burger with lamb (495 RUB). And, thus the Lamburger Revolution began – with an innocent, “I think I will try this…”
The lamburger was the best burger I have ever had in the past 30-plus years of gorging myself on nearly every kind – or so I thought – of burger in North America, Europe, or Russia. If it is red meat or airborne, I was under the impression that I had eaten it before SG, and I was wrong.
The lamburger tramples all Moscow places offering expensive burgers. Chicago Prime, Frendy’s, and Starlite – all very good burgers. However, the lamburger at SG puts them all to shame from the first bite. To top it off, it is served with enough ketchup to make my heart smile since neither rationing for my fries AND burger nor paying an additional side charge was required. Call it the ketchup soapbox upon which all burger joints in Moscow are judged – and Starlite’s bottle of ketchup on your table reigns king – but I am tired of paying what amounts to $3-4 for ketchup on a burger that is already costing me about $15.
The duck received very high marks too – and I ate a good portion of the grilled vegetables. Duck is not in my culinary starting line-up, but my lady loves it. To wit, last time we had duck as paying customers, she said it tasted like one of the ducks that eat garbage in a drainage pond, so she said never again. However, SG was given the chance to save, or not save, all the ducks in Moscow, and SG delivered admirably.
I followed with a white wine sangria (180 RUB) and carrot cake (210 RUB) for dessert; my dining partner went with a fresh lemonade (180 RUB) and blueberry crème pie (195 RUB). While at this point already satiated, the drinks and dessert were superb.
In closing, total bill was 3165 RUB. For the quality of food and refreshingly non-Moscow atmosphere, it would have been well worth it even if we were paying customers. To this extent, we were back two days later with friends, and I relished the opportunity to give SG more hard-earned money because SG both values the business and delivers a mouth-watering, good memory-forming dining experience, and the second time was just as good as the first. |
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| 222. | Oldich Dress & Drink
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According to the PR blurb, Oldich's name is partly intended to evoke the ethos (although not, quite, the spelling) of London's Shoreditch, while carrying an air of retro chic. Adverts for staff have demanded a bilingual Russian-English work-force with a keen interest in classic fashion and quirky originality. And the "Dress and Drink" bit handles the two facets of a venue which is a vintage clothes store up top, and bar below. With an active program of live music and DJs, plus themed parties and literary evenings, it's pitching for the same crowd which currently sees the Krasny Oktyabr hub as its preferred point of pilgrimage - news that is likely to distress as many as it delights.
Setting prejudice aside, though, the bar/restaurant section has plenty going for it - once you get in. Arriving in the evening, when the upstairs shop is winding down, the bar possibly takes its 'hidden' vibe a bit too seriously - you'd be forgiven for missing it completely from the street, and even after gambling on plunging into the shop, there's scant evidence of what lies beneath. The management likes to reference Alice in Wonderland and its magical rabbit warrens; those of us who aren't acquainted with Mad Hatters may struggle to keep up.
Still, a willfully obscure location didn't dampen the popularity of the late, lamented Proekt OGI, and like that bunker venue, Oldich has character to burn. With heavy wooden tables and comfortable armchairs, it's a roaring open fire away from being the perfect place to gather for an intimate tete-a-tete over exclusive spirits and exotic cigars. Admittedly the sense of intimacy was heightened - uncomfortably so - by being the only diners on a dreary March Monday which seemed committed to denying any hope of spring returning, but even on a busier night it seems likely to be cozy rather than cramped. Plus, for a larger group, there's a separate room with a full-size dining table. There's serious attention to design detail as well: the crockery has been sourced from vintage markets in London, while the toilets feature retro-erotica wallpaper and voluptuous framed fabric over the pot - go pay a visit, and you'll see what I mean.
Given its Cool Britannia ambitions, it's only fair to note that the overall effect was reminiscent of one of my favorite restaurants in my former home town. OK, so it's not exactly fashionable Shoreditch, but the retro-fashion and underground feel carries well from the Thames Estuary to heart of Moscow. The menu, too, has more than a hint of the gastro-pub about it - and in the best sense of the word. Naturally, a few bar-room staples endure, with burgers and fish'n'chips taking their place despite protestations that the food here cannot be found elsewhere in Moscow. But there's also an honorable mention for a pleasing selection of Mediterranean finger food and some inventive desserts to complement them. The bruschetta with beetroot, artichoke and parmesan was a curious beast: at its base it could hardly have been more Russian, with creamy, mayo-slathered beets that might have come straight from the local stolovaya; the topping of parmesan and artichoke, meanwhile, was a taste of another world - almost literally - offering a fresh waft of Italian flavor. It's also one of relatively few wholly vegetarian options on the menu, although the "wine plate" of tempting tidbits works as a sharing dish as long as someone is willing to hoover up the Parma ham.
For mains we picked out the fish and chips (sufficiently meat-free to suffice) and the duck leg. The former was a genuinely decent attempt at a tricky Brit standard. The chips were actual chips, rather than fries, although they might have benefitted from slightly longer in the fryer; the fish came in a recognizable batter, and despite appearing as a handful of fishy goujon rather than the more traditional single large fillet, worked as well as any attempt at this dish I've seen outside of its homeland. The duck was well-cooked to the point where it slipped easily off the bone as the first gentle probing of a fork, but might have benefited from a more astringent partner than a serving of herb-spattered mash. A side portion of fruity sauce helped, but could have gone a bit further, perhaps.
The highlight, though, came with the dessert menu. Fig in a dark chocolate coating, studded with crunchy grains of sea-salt, was a perfect combination of sweet and savory: a simple idea which could easily become a classic. But the star turn was the pear tart with rosemary ice cream. Leaving aside the slight sensory confusion at confronting a pot of something which looked like it should be mint-choc-chip flavored and tasted entirely different, this was a triumph. The ice cream was a delight - fresh, unexpected and well-matched to the residual sweetness of the tart.
Another pleasant surprise was the bill - the whole thing, accompanied by a bottle of cider, came in at less than 3,000 rubles (albeit helped by a couple of freebies from the kitchen, including a flagon of iced tea). That seemed to give the lie to some of the complaints on Afisha.ru about high prices - generally speaking they seemed to be in line for this kind of market in Moscow. Admittedly, there's no sign of a cheap beer - it's all imported Brit brews at around 300 rubles a glass, rather than fizzy Baltika at 120 - and the clothes store proudly insists that its prices will be kept relatively high to distinguish "vintage" (a premium market) from second hand (with its slightly shabby connotations).
All in all, despite the hipsterish pretensions, Oldich has plenty going for it - and its downtown location makes it a great place for a pre-party gathering, whether you're planning to stay there all night or head on to another venue later. |
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| 223. | Prostye Veschi
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One of the best things about a trip to Kiev or St Petersburg is the range of super-quality mid-price cafes, bars & restaurants on offer – no wonder there howl about Moscow prices. Of course, Moscow has always had a few places not aimed at the expense-account gravy-trainers… but it's still been a sadly limited range, and they disappear with frightening frequency. The latest newcomer to the "demokratichny" sphere is Prostye Veshi (Simple Things), a smallish cafe-bistro across the road from Krasnopresnenskaya metro.
The retro-metro interiors come as no surprise, but it’s a formula that works well elsewhere - so why not? Bright white walls lit with downlighters, old b/w pictures on the walls, sturdy furniture evoking the post-war confidence of the 1950s. And although the prices aren't quite post-war, they're cheerfully old-fashioned too, and you’ll leave Prostye Veshi with even bigger smiles than when you arrived.
Price, though, isn't the only reason to be cheerful. The service is warm, friendly and personal, there are English-language menus obviously done by a native speaker (no howlers or blunders), and - somewhat amazingly - an extensive drinks menu that's entirely available. Parking nearby (or even directly outside) is a breeze, unfortunately - and since I held the car-keys for the evening, I went for a non-alcoholic cocktail, a mint frappe (a mere 80 Rbs). OK, hands up all those who thought - like me - that this was going to be a milkshakey concoction? In fact it's a rum-free mojito cocktail, identical in every way except without the hooch in it - and as an option for the cop-fearing quaffer it's not just good, it's excellent… and I had two. My Official Food-Taster for the evening was looking a little starboard, but a glass of Malaga Cruz port - for only 90 roubles - soon corrected the steering, but left us wondering if the prices weren’t perhaps listed in Serbian dinars.
On to the munchies, of which there’s a short but seasonal menu - six or seven options for salads, and the same kind of range for soups and other first courses, an identical number of main courses, and a goodish range of desserts. So, err, why so limited? The answer - according to Irina Khodzinskaya, who set the place up - is that the menu will change completely every two months, offering the best of each season's top picks. If you're reading this review any time in 2007, it won't be the late-2006 menu we tried! Portions are outstandingly generous, so we shared a green salad with chicken livers, weighing in at 210 roubles for a giant plateful. The mixed green and red leaves of lollo rosso, fennel and more partnered the scrumptious chicken perfectly - perhaps not everyone would appreciate the liver so lightly fried perhaps, but we tucked this away with great pleasure, only lamenting the absence of a squeeze of lemon, or perhaps a flash of balsamic vinegar to offset the broad flavour of the chicken livers? Autumn soups caught our fancy, so we had one each - and what a contrast they were! My favourite mistake in most restaurants is to be lured by exotic-sounding dishes which fail to deliver - but this time I hit pay-dirt, and the pumpkin soup (130 Rbs) was light, delicate, exuded freshness, and combined some satisfying hunks of pumpkin with some toasted pumpkin-seeds as a garnish. Unhappiness sadly ensued across the table over the rival chestnut soup (130 Rbs) - which seemed to be mainly hot cream and a dancing-troupe of pork pieces who went uncredited on the menu-listing. Chestnuts can be indigestible things at the best of times, but they were so little in evidence here that at least you need have no fears on that score. The home-made onion bread looks delicious, but had an over-chewy texture which clearly announced "sprinkled with water and microwaved." What a pity - the taste was excellent, the appearance good, and probably it had been very nice before going into the micro?
Fast-forward to the mains, and here we were more than happy. Ms Food-Taster's leg of lamb (at 390 Rbs the priciest item on the entire menu) was so tender it fell apart out of sheer desire to please the eager eater - happiness and bliss quickly returned, although further comment was mostly muted by appreciative lip-smacking noises. I fared just as happily with the trout with fennel & herbs, and in fact the roast fennel proved a highlight - I'd expect just a smidgeon of it tucked inside the trout, but it came as a garnish. The trout itself was perfectly prepared, moist, and fragrant from a lemon-herb marinade. Paradise, it seemed, was available on earth, and for cash prices… but some element of earthly woe was needed to prevent us just floating away in ecstasy, and this was provided in the form of the most stylishly impractical serving-style of 2006… serving the whole fish on a rimless wooden slat the same width as the fish. Open the thing to remove the bones - and fish-juices lap-out all over the table. Any angle of attack here will produce the same graceless results. I found myself longing for that tired cliche of old-fashioned dining habits - a normal plate? You can't take me anywhere, you see.
We finished-off sharing a largish dessert portion of fresh melon slices (80 Rbs) - Ms Taster would have preferred them ready-peeled, but the old hippy within me appreciated the absence of such supermarket-style convenience. Despite a single sad soup slip-up and a perverse plating pecadillo, the whole experience was succour for both body and soul, and for prices last seen in Moscow when the Metro used green-plastic tokens. This happy combo of bonhomie and wallet-friendliness attracts a crowd, and although it's exactly the kind of place you'd like to drop into when you can't be arsed to make supper at home, in fact you'll probably have to book a table if you plan coming after 8pm - the venue is small and they’re chronically short of tables. The kitchen closes at 11pm, but you can munch your dessert and raid the drinks-menu for bargains until midnight. They even take credit cards and allow you to smoke if you wish. Get rid of the Beatles tape guys, and it's a winning formula. |
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| 224. | Goodman Steak House
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Last week we set off to try out Goodman Steak House. As all meat-eating expats know, Moscow is truly in dire need of another quality venue to supply the goods for all of our steak needs (up until now, there was really only one place that came to mind...) I was admittedly a little skeptical about what to expect, given that so many steak houses before it were inevitably forced to do their own walk of shame out of town or were subjected to an empty existence without clientele, relying on only the crumbs thrown from stubborn kryshas. Nevertheless, in my opinion, Goodman will begin to finally fill the steak gap in Moscow's restaurant scene.
Goodman Steak House is set slightly back off Tverskaya (in between Tverskaya and Mayakovskaya metro stations), which allows for a quiet dining experience in what is otherwise a noisy part of the city. The main part of the restaurant is dimly lit with a sleek, modern design. We opted, however, to sit on the patio and enjoy a cool summer evening outside. The hostess let us know that if it got a bit too chilly on the patio, our waiter would be more than happy to bring us a little throw-blanket to keep warm - unless we wanted to move and sit inside, which could also be arranged. In addition to throw-blankets, Goodman also offers valet parking for those brave enough to purchase and drive cars in this city.
The menu was a breath of fresh air, as it is not one of those five-hundred page tomes found in so many other Moscow restaurants. After ordering beers (I took a 0.4L Fosters ($4), while my dining partner sampled a 0.3L Radeburger ($3)) we were brought fresh bread with garlic and herb butter and two tasty (and complimentary!) mini-bruschettas. There is a succinct selection of cold appetizers ranging from $7.50 to $39, including beef carpaccio, chicken liver pate and raw oysters (which would probably impress the socks off young dates *wink wink*). Next are salads and hot appetizers. I decided to go with the grilled mushroom salad with pumpkin seed dressing and prosciutto ($14), while my dining partner chose the tiger shrimp sauted in a tomato-based garlic and herb sauce.
We couldn't possibly have waited much more than five minutes before both of our appetizers were served. Even if all else had gone wrong (and it hadn't), Goodman sure gets good points for presentation. The salad turned out to be a delicate mix of spring greens with a dose of sauted mushrooms. The pumpkin seed dressing was unusual and palate-pleasing. Meanwhile, the tiger shrimp (which can also be ordered as a full entre) were tender, juicy and the sauce was wonderful. US out-of-towners might be slightly taken back by presentation, which includes the decapitated heads and buggy little eyes of each of the eight scrumptious shrimp.
Moving on to entrees, the menu offers rib eye, New York strip, filet mignon ($26-28) and burgers ($12.50-14.50). Those looking for something other than beef can choose from rack of lamb ($26), pork ribs ($22), braised lamb shank in rosemary ($19), or chicken schnitzel ($10.80). Each of these entrees is served with a sauce that comes separately, (mustard, pepper, mushroom and Goodman's specialty). Seafood lovers may choose from a selection of whitefish, a full shrimp entree and a salmon steak ($22-24). Side dishes ($4-10) include mashed potatoes with Roquefort cheese and fresh spinach served with a cream sauce and cheese - as well as grilled veggies and chanterelle mushrooms. It looks like vegetarians also have a viable option with the pasta plates ($12.50), which include both veggie linguini and mushroom linguini.
Although everything looked tempting, we were here to sample the steaks. My dining partner chose the rib eye with the mashed potatoes and Goodman sauce and I decided to go with the filet mignon and fresh spinach and the mushroom sauce. I like my steaks well done (which I am aware some may consider a crime against steak) so I was expecting to have to wait a bit longer for my entree. But we did not wait long at all, and not only were our entrees both served at the same time (*gasp*) but both of our orders were cooked *exactly* the way we had requested. The filet mignon - even at "well-done" - was juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender, truly a treat. The mushroom sauce was full of flavor, but not too rich. The rib eye was equally tender and juicy, and the slightly tangy Goodman sauce really is an excellent choice for any steak on the menu. As for presentation, the steaks (and other meat dishes - we were spying on the surrounding tables as well) are served separately from the side dishes on their own plate. While the mashed potato side dish was very good, the spinach in cream sauce blew both of us away.
Unfortunately, I did not get to finish all of the spinach due to the only quirk in the evening. I had haphazardly placed my utensils in such a way on my plate as to inadvertently give the "I'm done" signal to the waiter who happened to be nearby. I was perplexed as he began collecting my plates without asking. When he began to walk away, I finally realized that my delicious but unfinished dinner was being taken away from me. "Wait!" I gasped. "I'm not done yet! Can I please have it back?" The waiter was at once so stunned and horrified that I swear he was frozen in place for a moment. "But" you're not finished? I'm - so sorry!!" I got my mignon back, but my spinach was lost forever.
Aside from what was obviously simply an awkward mistake, the service was attentive and very pleasant, adding to the overall enjoyable and unpretentious atmosphere. They have got it down right, and it would appear that a lot of agree. The patio was completely full by 9pm and there were several more groups inside when we left, opposed to a near-empty room when we entered at 7.
Dessert selections include apple pie with ice cream, New York cheesecake, Goodman's own cheesecake, fruit sorbet, ice cream and a fruit plate ($5-8). We decided to share the Goodman cheesecake and see how it might be different from a New York cheesecake. This selection turned out to be the most underwhelming event of the evening. We were served a rather large portion of cheesecake with a fresh strawberry sauce drizzled over it. The sauce was lovely, but the cake itself was missing a certain something taste-wise.
Those who enjoy a good wine will not get any tips from me, as I do not know my wines and prefer a nice beer or five. Goodman, however, offers both a full bar with well drinks ranging from $2.50-29 and a full wine menu with reds, whites and rosettes from France, Italy and Chili. Wine per the glass looks to range about $7-9, while by-the-bottle prices naturally range anywhere from $18 to $180 (or thereabouts).
Overall, we had a lovely evening. This is the perfect place to take a date, a business partner or out-of-town visitors. It's also the perfect place to get a good steak (and I would venture to say that Goodman most probably serves up a worthy burger). The restaurant's slogan may sound a little silly in English ("Goodman: a good steak for a good man"), but rest assured that even if you are a bad man, your steak will still be good. |
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| 225. | Ararat Cafe
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Sevan Up
The revolving glass doors closed hermetically behind me. Moscow's sticky heat was left behind as I entered the chilled air of the glassed atrium. Modernist elevators whisked the world's Great and Good to secluded upper levels with silent unquestioning obedience, at the soft-spoken command "make it so". The first job would be to make it past the guards. However, the strange absence of a body-check, x-ray scanner, or series of impertinent questions from some juvenile Rambo only reinforced my initial suspicions that we had passed through a wormhole in the time-space continuum. I passed-by a carpet deep enough to have swallowed me alive, gently congratulating myself on evading such obvious traps, and allowed myself to be engulfed in a massive sofa until my colleagues arrived. Around me citizens of other realms closed deals on their mobiles in a Babylon of languages. How few of them knew what I knew - that this massive complex had an Achilles - heel, which could be penetrated by myself and my colleagues on a secret mission that dwarfed the scale of their billion-dollar deals. We were going to lunch.
For those of you in civilisations who have not yet mastered time travel, I should reveal that fifty of your Earth years ago, a former Cafe Ararat stood on the same site. Its clientele were soviet bohemian writers and intellectuals, for whom the promise of far-off Caucasian mountains enshrined the furthest hope of foreign exotica afforded by Stalin's People's Paradise. Photographs of the former Cafe can be seen on today's walls. It's immediately obvious that this is no rural trattoria with bentwood chairs and mama slaving in a steamy kitchen - this is the upscale end of Armenian cuisine. It's not, however, a dumbed-down or homogenised version; authenticity and quality are overseen by Master Chef Samvel Minasian. Prior to taking up his duties in Moscow, Minasian was supervising banquets for Guests of State in Armenia, as Head Chef to President Robert Kocharian. His remarkable achievement at Cafe Ararat is to maintain the simplicity implicit in Armenian cuisine - which relies on superb-quality ingredients, all flown-in specially - but present them in a style befitting a 5* international hotel. The atmosphere is laid-back and informal - the dress code is smart-casual, and cosy sofas encourage longer lounging.
The tastes and aromas of Caucasian cuisine are dominated in Moscow by Georgian food - with which expats fleeing an overdose of sour cream are already well familiar. Armenian chefs have the same broad palette of flavours and textures at their disposal, but the results are pleasingly different. There is a little "bite" in the flavouring, but it's aromatic rather than fiery. All is reliant on the freshest ingredients - the strong suits of the Armenian kitchen are imaginative purees and melanges of spiced vegetables, succulent fish, and speciality grills - all accompanied by fine local wines produced in a proudly independent tradition.
And so, to our meal. Three of us sat down to lunch and in Armenian tradition, we ordered a meze selection of appetisers to share. If the dishes are unfamiliar, English-speaking assistance is at hand, with knowledgeable and enthusiastic insight into any dish on the menu - from portion-size to pedigree, each dish is explained with the passion of an art-historian, and with a view to their suitability as dining combination. We took several - you can adjust your selection according to your appetite, budget and available time, but a traditional Armenian meal should have the table almost collapsing under the quantity and variety served. If you like it simple, Traditional Armenian Eggplant Salad ($6) is luscious and rich, and what I especially liked was that it wasn't swimming in an ocean of cheap oil - a background aroma of light virgin olive-oil complemented the aubergines. The Selection of Smoked Fish seemed no pocket-pleaser at $22, but the giant portion of salmon, crayfish, fresh crab, and sturgeon is a meal in itself, and all excellent. Aveluk is an Armenian speciality -“ a spinach roulade cross-cut into elegant slices ($5). The Armenian cheese platter ($5) is much more interesting than it sounds, the cheeses are nicely contrasted for bite and texture. With all of this, of course, you must have Armenian flat-bread, lavash. If you can't decide, or there aren't enough of you to order a full spread of full-sized portions, Ararat will be happy to put together an Appetiser Selection based on your preferences.
The danger - as usual in Caucasian food -“ is to enjoy the sumptuous appetiser selection so much that by the time the main courses arrive, you're already on the retreat. Yes, sadly we made that mistake too, but in fairness, these are appetisers you'd happily gorge on until they were physically taken away from you. Assuming you are more prudent in your hors deoeuvres-munching than we were, you might profitably continue to the magnificent mains. Armenia is a land of lakes and rivers - its famous Lake Sevan is even pictured in a huge mural on the restaurant-s walls. Lake Sevan produces several kinds of trout, and Ishkhan trout ($23) is excellent. If you're watching the calories or fat intake, this comes steamed with aromatic vegetables and herbs, and it truly melts in your mouth. Kyufta ($18) is one of those dishes which could only come from a society which sets no price on preparation time - prime beef is first whipped, and then lightly poached into a sort of spiced meat souffle, served with an omelette garnish. However as a rule Armenian men don't like their meat overly mucked-about with, and Traditional Armenian Shashlik ($24) is exactly what you'd hope it might be - a gigantic portion of toothsomely grilled cuts, your choice of chicken, lamb or pork.
At this point we were forced to withdraw - we slunk away defeated. Diners of greater girth and determination might have proceeded further to a promising selection of innovative desserts, all retailing at $8 and unknown numbers of calories.
An excellent convention in this restaurant is the option to order wines by the glass. And not only the vin de table, but many of the wines in the cellar. Armenia is, after all, a country in which wine-drinking is an everyday pleasure, without the strictures of a sommelier's beady eye. We had a luscious dry light red, which partnered my fish very comfortably despite all conventions to the contrary. If you wish to spend more, you can delve into their cellar of Armenian (and other) fine wines. Armenian table-water is ideal on the side.
The service is immaculate - charming, welcoming, eager to share the pleasure of Armenian food with new friends. Mind-changing and an onslaught of capricious questions about the menu were handled with bilingual aplomb. But whilst the service is five-star, the bill weighs-in mid-priced, as part of a conscious effort to encourage non-residents into the hotel's exclusive environs - there's no punchy overpricing here. A final tip - whether or not you make it to the desserts, skip your post-prandial coffee or liquer here, and instead beam-up to their Panorama Bar on the top floor, for a super rooftop view (outdoors in summer) of downtown Moscow and the Bolshoi Theatre. |
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| 226. | Vanil
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When I told Mr Polly that Expat.Ru had invited me to review Vanil, a place that a clueless prole like myself had never heard of before, his eyes lit up and he got very excited. He messaged all his friends to make them jealous. Turns out Vanil is, or at least was at one time, one of the top elitny eateries in town. After all, it was founded by some pretty well-known people: Fyodor Bondarchuk, Stepan Mikhailkov and none other than local restaurant legend Arkady Novikov. This initially gave me the impression that it must be packed with Moscow’s gilded youth and socialites, especially after noting that Vanil, a restaurant, enforces face control. But I soon came to understand that Vanil is more for an older, perhaps more refined crowd: Moscow’s gilded thirty-somethings.
Naturally my expectations were high. Very high. Especially after reading that an average dinner at Vanil without drinks will break you off about $140. I had also read conflicting comments about the menu, allegedly filled with indecipherable, purposely obscure selections. But in fact, once we had been seated at a table for two near a window facing Ostozhenka, I found that the menu was not as pretentious as I had been led to believe. I was only slightly disappointed when I understood that we would not be sitting at one of the popular tables facing an amazing view of Christ the Savior Cathedral. Instead we had a full-on view of the traffic jam outside and car-less metro commuters hurrying home from work. But never mind that - after all, who doesn’t enjoy watching the poor folk hobble by and stare wistfully in at you while you dine? Thanks to Vanil’s glistening ceiling-to-floor windows, this was a special treat we were granted the opportunity to enjoy several times that evening.
After perusing the menu for a bit, I was met with more disappointment upon learning that despite the fact that there are two scallop options listed on the menu, there were no scallops. So I was forced to rethink my plan. We decided on two cold appetizers the beef carpaccio with mushrooms (970Rbs) and tuna fillet with seaweed salad (750Rbs). Initially I had wanted to try the “warm scampi on rocket salad” (690Rbs) purely out of curiosity (what is rocket salad?), but we decided instead to share (note: “share”) another shrimp dish from the hot appetizers – scampi in tandoori sauce (450Rbs). I ordered a Kirin beer (180Rbs per 0.33L) and Mr Polly opted for a simple non-carbonated water.
Our cold appetizers were served quite soon after we ordered. Mr Polly’s water was poured into two wine glasses, even though he had only ordered water. My beer was nowhere to be seen. Oh well, I was hungry, so we began to check out the appetizers, which were both presented elegantly on Japanese-style plates. (One of the pages of Vanil’s menu offers a selection of what are allegedly Japanese delicacies, including sashimi and sushi rolls.) Vanil’s beef carpaccio is not cut in the traditional super-thin slices, but in small, thick rectangles. Not exactly what I was expecting, but this is probably the best thing I ate all evening there, and that is not meant to demean the carpaccio. It was excellent. Mr Polly’s tuna fillet was also quite good, but towards the end the large quantity of sea salt gracing the tuna and seaweed salad overwhelmed him.
Next came the scampi in tandoori sauce and Mr Polly’s order of cream of mushroom and celery soup. When the shrimp were served, I was again impressed by the detail devoted to presentation. I was also very impressed by the extremely large plate, considering that there were only four shrimp on it. Despite the accompanying iceberg lettuce salad, the actual food only covered about 1/3 of the plate. I began to feel like Steve Martin in LA Story when I noticed that Mr Polly’s soup was served in a gigantic bowl, also filled only about 1/3 high. I was getting a little nervous now since we had asked to share the shrimp, and there were only four. Plus, the waiter did not give Mr Polly silverware to partake in the shrimp, so there was clearly no chance that they had heard us say the word “share” and that he would be bringing the remaining four shrimp on a separate plate post-soup. I had not ordered soup because I thought it would be too much food. I was sorely mistaken. So I saved Mr Polly’s two shrimp for him after trying as hard as I could to relish the strange tandoori sauce drizzled over my half.
By the way, my beer had still not arrived at this point in time. I had to ask the waiter to please bring the beer I had ordered at least 30 minutes previously when he came to collect our dishes. He nodded obediently, but I got some look like “uh, yeah,” like it was my fault that he hadn’t brought it already.
We waited a little while before the entrees were served. Having been forced to forego the scallop plate, I had decided to try the “stake [sic] with vegetables Chinese style” (1250rbs). Mr Polly chose the veal breast with crunchy vegetables in an orange sauce (1100Rbs).
Now let me begin my diatribe by saying that I selected the Chinese-style “stake” because (a) I figured a place with such a high reputation would do a good job with “Chinese style” and because (b) having been misled by the description of “Chinese style,” I had envisioned said “stake” and the alleged vegetables would be served up as a stir-fry. Boy, was I ever wrong. Instead I got another gargantuan plate with a small, not-choice cut of steak surrounded on either side by saut?ed bits of probably two mushrooms cut up real small, and three snow peas cut up real small (the small slices make it look like there is actually more than three to the untrained eye). The worst of it was that the majority of these “vegetables” was freaking Chinese lettuce!!! First of all, Chinese lettuce is an affront to any kind of real lettuce. Plus, lettuce isn’t exactly what you imagine when you read the word “vegetables.” To top it off, this mutant, evil spawn of the lettuce devil and the “stake” had all been soaked in some sort of cheap-tasting teriyaki (read: Japanese, NOT Chinese) sauce that really did not do much to help either the hateful Chinese lettuce or the tough meat. To add insult to injury, a few drops of the offensive sauce literally leaped off of my fork, staining my sweater. So I guess the lesson here is that even in Moscow’s best, any “Asian-style” sauce will do and that bok choi’s rejected deformed cousin Chinese freakin lettuce can make any dish “Chinese style.” Oh, and neither of us received steak knives despite both of us ordering main courses with meat. You can imagine what a joy it was to saw away at my wretched “stake.”
Mr Polly’s veal was served in two pieces, one with meat, and one that was 90% bone and 10% impenetrable grizzle. The “crunchy vegetables” were not crunchy, and consisted of about 12 rectangular slices of some obscure vegetable measuring roughly two inches long and ?-inch wide. Maybe they were carrots, I’ll never know and at this point I’ve no desire to find out. They were, as you could probably guess, presented beautifully. But that had started to lose significance. Mr Polly liked the meat part of the veal, which he said was very tender, and the orange sauce it had been cooked in. He also noted that this was the first place he’d gone with me to review at which he’d actually been able to eat everything he was served. That should help you understand just how ‘minimalist’ the very pretty servings are.
We were then offered the dessert menu, which has a large selection of pretentiously named sweets at prices ranging from 250-950Rbs. At least the English dessert menu had enough mistakes to be amusing, with choices like “Ring with ice cream” and “chestnuts muss [supposed to be mousse].” After the stake disaster, I was in a foul mood and nothing except the berries appealed to me at all, but at this point I was in such a snit that I couldn’t even bear to not have to pay 950Rbs for what I assumed would end up being three to five berries on a giant plate. Thank you, I’ll pass. Mr Polly, however, cannot pass up anything halyava, so he tried a creative little number with vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry sorbet surrounded by three “French meringues” and fresh whipped cream topped with slices of strawberry and a sprig of mint. Not bad. Now I was even more pissy because hey, I should have ordered a freakin dessert. He also ordered a latte but I didn’t bother looking to see how much it costs. Probably a lot. I just finished nursing my puny, overpriced beer.
While I simmered away in my silent little hissy fit, Russian Mr Polly hastened to note that you have to pay for atmosphere and ambiance. OK – to their credit, Vanil has got the whole interior design thing down right. The restaurant is decked out predominantly – and tastefully- in what we can call Asian style. The color scheme is light, eliminating anything even slightly resembling Moscow’s heavy and ubiquitous “wood factor.” The lights are dimmed – but not too much, and the music is played at a perfect, unobtrusive volume. There are plenty of tables, many of which were filled with clients before we left, and despite their close proximity to one another, Vanil really manages to retain a sense of intimacy at each table. You don’t feel crowded, but you do feel cozy. This could be a great venue to chat someone up, for either business or pleasure.
That said, I’ve experienced my fair share of atmosphere and I ain’t payin no 950Rbs for no berries. It was with a sigh of relief that I stepped out onto the sidewalk, breathing in the cool autumn air and rejoining the masses of car-less commuters, without even one wistful glance back at Vanil’s fabulous floor-length windows. |
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| 227. | Love Actually
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Love Actually
Richard Curtis towers over the last two decades of British comedy, with scriptwriting credits ranging from the BBC cult series Blackadder to worldwide hits such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. His first offering from the director’s chair is Love Actually, and he brings with him an unprecedented line-up that includes almost all the heavyweights of British film: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant, along with a host of rising British stars and a bevy of cameos – from Claudia Schiffer to Michael Parkinson.
The plot revolves around a seemingly interminable number of bite-size love stories in the run-up to Christmas, with a multiple denouement at that trusty stalwart of the romcom genre – the airport. The characters, ostensibly a sweeping cross-section of British society, actually centre almost entirely upon an Islington upper-middle class set, with Martine McCutcheon thrown in as token commoner and Chiwetel Ejiofor as token ethnic minority. Hugh Grant’s repertoire – which already stretched from stammering posh-but-loveable English bookseller to stammering posh-but-loveable English doctor – is widened to take in the new and challenging role of stammering posh-but-loveable English prime minister.
The sheer quantity of storylines means that none of them are ever adequately developed. Not all of the stories end ‘happily’, but those that do not are never properly explored. ‘My wasted heart will love you forever’ says Andrew Lincoln to his best friend’s wife – in roughly his third minute on screen – before smiling and walking down the street to feel-good music because she gave him a peck on the lips. We have no idea why he loves her, or of the nature of his relationship with said best friend – but we do know that the girl concerned is rather tasty. Equally mysteriously, Colin Firth makes perhaps the quickest, most vacuous marriage proposal this side of www.getmearussianwife.com, to a Portuguese girl with whom he cannot even converse.
Thus despite the title, there is very little in this film that smacks of love at all. Of course, physical attraction is going to be a major part of love, but one might expect dialogue to be given at least a supporting role – Thompson and Rickman are the only couple actually to have a proper conversation! The closest the film comes to any real emotions is Thompson’s touching performance as a betrayed wife, though one can only be so touching in seven minutes of screen time. For everyone else, love is purely and fully a visual, sexual matter, exemplified by Curtis playing the old ‘accidental proposal to the wrong sister’ trick. (What do those people who are cast as ‘amusingly fat ugly character’ feel like?) The sadder side of love is touched upon but never explored, and nor for that matter is the happier side, in any sense other than the sexual.
I ought perhaps to make an admission. Love Actually did in fact have me laughing for most of its duration, especially during Bill Nighy’s hilarious portrayal of an ageing rocker cynically cashing in with a tacky Christmas tune. Curtis still knows how to push all the right buttons with his audiences. But Nighy’s storyline might well be applied to the whole film – a funny but ultimately vacuous and meretricious exercise aimed at the Christmas Box Office, that does little justice either to Curtis’ considerable writing ability, or to the enormous wealth of acting talent involved.
Love Actually takes place in a London full of middle-class suburbs and big red buses; a London where someone sprinting through the security gates at Heathrow is given gentle pursuit by a couple of friendly bobbies rather than shot through the head by anti-terrorism agents; a London as unrecognisable as the love stories which take place within it.
See the film – it will make you laugh. But if this really is love, actually, then let's all go to Night Flight and get some…
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| 228. | Sideways
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Sideways
Directed by Alexander Payne. Written by: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor based on a novel by Rex Pickett. Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh. 123 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: A funny, profound, complex (though not complicated) story. Light-hearted but far from superficial, this film has something to say and it says it superbly.
This is the best film of the year so far. Spend ten bucks to see it. You’ll come out richer than when you went in.
Perhaps not a film to take your fianc?e to if you spend a lot of time away on business trips and your relationship is going through a hard patch.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you can do joined-up writing, know what it is to read for pleasure and are old enough to have messed up something important in your life
• No, if: you’re a Viz fan, spend a lot of time on Playstation and are really looking forward to your next Club 18-30 holiday
• Maybe, if: you have ever really disliked being somewhere where everyone else seemed to be having a groovy time
Comments: I don’t know why Hollywood still churns out expensive rubbish like “Aviator” when for the cost of that one film they can make twenty films like “Sideways”.
Using a B-list (or even C-list) cast, no big explosions or other pyro-frippery, “Sideways” dwarfs the aforementioned film on all points that count.
I came away with a sense of having read a good novel. One of those books you know has to end but wish wouldn’t. One of those rare books.
This is a film for grown-ups. For people who can read and have a bit of life experience behind them. But its themes are accessible and not pointlessly cryptic or “arty”.
Films like this are why I still go to the cinema.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *****
• Dialogue: *****
• Substance: *****
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the story is beautifully crafted, balanced and satisfying. It deconstructs, demonstrates and saut?s in a good wine what it is to be male, mortal and less than hugely successful in a society in which only winners go to heaven.
The film’s strength is that it achieves this without resorting to cliches: Gaw blimey, gov’ner, I ain’t nuffin’ but a poor man, but I got a heart of gold. There’s none of that. Life is more complex than that. And so is this film.
Dialogue comments: the relationship between Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) yields natural, delightful dialogue which sent ripples of pleasure through the core of native speakers in the audience as line after line tickled some portion of the funny bone long neglected by the Hollywood industrial production line.
On-the-nose dialogue is completely absent and the film pays you the compliment of allowing you to engage with it organically and without grinding you through a checklist of set-ups first.
People with headphones or less-than-perfect English tended to leave the cinema early. The stripped-down, reduced-functionality demo version of English which has – for better of worse – become the world language won’t gain you access to this film.
”Sideways” is not a wordy or pretentious art film. It’s a great dramatic comedy with moments of significant pathos. But it is a film for people who genuinely know the English language. Neither the translation nor Headway Intermediate will take you there.
Substance comments: “Sideways” looks at masculinity, morality and personal significance in a refreshingly unpoliticised way. No superfluous or tedious mea culpa diatribes here.
Wine is used wonderfully as a metaphor throughout. Whether you like wine or not won’t matter because the film’s treatment of it – as of everything else – is unpretentious, vibrant and accessible.
All actors and writers over the age of thirty-five who have yet to achieve the recognition they feel is their due should be required by law to see this film.
Film craft comments: the film is shot in a low-key way, is well cut, and has some great five-second wordless vignettes. I suspect a generous budget for film stock and an inspired and hardworking director wise enough to allow a talented editor to get on with his job without interference.
Full marks to the casting director. The screen is occupied by faces which seem to know something personally of the lives they portray. Out are the pretty boys wrestling with questions of universal import (about which they patently could not have the faintest idea) and in are irregular, life-weathered features hacking through a humbler but far more interesting set of circumstances. Even the “hunk” Thomas Haden Church’s strong jaw and good teeth are underpinned by a dog-like quality which makes him interesting.
A taste of the story: a sensitive, negative, recently-divorced and yet-to-be-successful writer Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his bit-part actor friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) go away for the week under the rubric of Miles showing Jack a good time prior to Jack’s wedding.
The story really gets underway as they negotiate what each of them wants out of the week ahead.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 229. | Statsky Sovetnik (Councilor of State)
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Statsky Sovetnik (Councilor of State)
Directed by Filipp Yankovsky. Written by Boris Akunin. Starring: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov. Russia: 125 min (cinema version)/208 min (TV version). English subtitles.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a fast-moving, somewhat bewildering caper featuring Fandorin, the Russian Holmes-Poirot hybrid mutation.
The author, Boris Akunin, is famous for his highly successful series of books with Fandorin as the centrepiece who masterfully deduces his way through carefully constructed – some say contrived – sets of circumstances not unlike a three-dimensional crossword puzzle. This film is cut of the same cloth. But does it work?
Yes and no.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if:you’re a Tretyakovskaya Gallery enthusiast and culture vulture keen to up your ratio of Russian-to-Western film intake (or at least make that one Russian film) and are willing to do whatever it takes to say you’ve seen one
• No, if: you don’t understand Russian fluently and are relying on the subtitles to keep you in the picture
• Maybe, if: you’re an Akunin junky – and there are plenty – and are keen to know how it all works on the big screen
Comments: this film starts well, has a great cast and – visually, at least – is tastefully and skilfully put together. But the fact that the cinema version is essentially a cut-down version of the real version (i.e. what will be shown on TV once the cinema demand peters out) really tells. The strain of such a mammoth edit (a full quarter of the film) leaves the cinema experience sparse – even threadbare – in places.
Whoever engaged the subtitles translator should be shot at first light. It ought to be obvious, but quality written translations are only possible by a native speaker of the target language. But the producers of Russian films still think that if a first-year student delivers them an “English” translation featuring English words which he, the producer, personally doesn’t understand, then it must be okay. The trouble is, no one who really does speak English can understand it either.
Even with fluent Russian, the film is a jerky, uncompelling fiction fortified to some degree by Mikhalkov’s person charisma and idiosyncratic dialogue. Vladimir Mashkov makes an appearance, reheating the mad-dog intensity of his Ragozhin in the objectively excellent 2003 Russian production of “The Idiot”. Menshikov is reserved and controlled – as per type – but ultimately uninteresting. I respect and like him as an actor, but his distant and cerebral Fandorin failed to engage me.
We can’t blame Akunin for being unaware of the excellent Western antidote to this entire genre in the person of the hopeless Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the Pink Panther films. If he had been, he would have thought twice about giving Fandorin a Japanese martial arts expert as a houseboy. As soon as the oriental domestic sidekick came on, the Western section of the audience thought the same thing: Cato!
Then we were left half-expecting a swift descent into farce which never came.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: *
• Film craft: ****
Story comments: the film kicks us into the plot superbly in the first ten minutes, but it’s pretty touch-and-go thereafter.
Akunin is a writer, he’s not a screenwriter. They are different disciplines and I wonder whether he was really the man for the job of screenwriter here.
Be that as it may, the story failed to hold me – much of it being circumstantial, superficial and contrived – and I satisfied myself with Mikhalkov’s highly entertaining performance.
Dialogue comments: the dialogue is great. Funny, apposite, and in some ways descriptive of Russian attitudes in general.
As is common with whodunnits, characters don’t so much arc as unpeel which Mikhalkov’s character, Pozharsky, does in a most engaging manner.
The rest of the cast – and their related roles – flail about in an attempt to imbue their worlds with significance, but I wasn’t convinced.
Substance comments: whodunnits don’t really need theme, but they do need plot. The problem in this case is that it’s all too complex and convoluted for us to get our teeth into the full meat of the plot because we are working with a stripped-down version of the real, fuller version for TV.
Instead, we satisfy ourselves with personality, namely that of Mikhalkov’s Pozharsky.
Now, Mikhalkov has a view, and whether he was technically the director or not, you can be sure he was top dog on set. And he’ll be damned if he’s going to charm us for 125 minutes without giving us a good dose of what, for him, constitutes the chief causes of the beleaguered state of Mother Russia. It’s a form of ranting and you can indulge in it if you’re as accomplished as he is.
But I wish he would stop. My feeling is that if Mikhalkov stopped trying to save the Russian people he would start making better films. His thesis is that if everyone got with the Mikhalkov program national suffering could be reduced.
I beg to differ on the basis of national character rather than politics. Eight years in this country have shown me that – whatever they might profess – deep down, Russians have an ingrained passion for avoidable tragedy. If they didn’t they would learn to drive properly and wear seatbelts. Without the constant possibility of imminent and superfluous calamity something is just not quite comfortable in the Russian mind. At the very least they get bored. And no amount of Mikhalkov cinema is going to induce them to stop – perhaps unconsciously – straining to experience something which, in truth, they like. We all strive to make our lives significant the best we can, and this is but one tack.
The great works of Russian literature and cinema explore and demonstrate this strain of weirdness in all its festering destructiveness. Historically, however, the works which have seriously tried to effect a change of any kind have been uniformly mediocre.
Film craft comments: beautifully shot. Perhaps not quite on a par with “The Return”, but still a highly pleasing – though somewhat absorbedly patriotic – visual experience.
A taste of the story: Fandorin (Oleg Menshikov) gets drawn into a distilled version of what must have been at some point a more convincing and fully-baked whodunnit (not to mention, whosdoingit) plot.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 230. | Pyramus & Thisbe (or Fatal Love) - John Frederick Lampe
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Pyramus & Thisbe (or Fatal Love) - John Frederick Lampe
It’s somewhat shaming, as a Brit myself, to find that works like Pyramus & Thisbe are going into regular repertoire in Moscow, when you cannot hear them in London for love nor money. John Frederick Lampe was an adopted Englishman – originally hailing from Brunswick, and completing his musical studies in Hamburg. Pyramus & Thisbe first appeared in 1745 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (the Helikon’s program-notes wrongly mention that it was at Covent Garden, an opera-house which didn’t exist at the time - the Italian Opera was at the King’s Theatre in Haymarket). Lampe is more widely known (although not by much) for his more famous mock-tragic opera The Dragon Of Wantley, and he seems to have been a master of the burlesque – both operas lampoon the stylistic excesses of Italian Opera of the period. Pyramus & Thisbe sets the “mechanicals” play from Midsummer Night’s Dream in its entirety, although as a standalone work. To make some kind of sense of the missing characters, Bottom’s part is renamed “Mr Semibreve” – an ambitious and garrulous impresario, presenting his new “English Opera” to a Lady & Gentleman Of Quality – all spoken roles. At this period – and right through until the 1820’s – the audience expected a Double Bill every night, and even after long Shakespearian tragedies the management was obliged to produce a one-act “Afterpiece”, usually a comic musical item, of which Lampe’s works are fine examples.
This is music of real quality, not a mere “neglected composer show”. Julian Gallant – more usually to be found at the music-desk of the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London – had come to Moscow especially to rehearse the piece, and directed with verve from the harpsichord. His continuo-playing added much to the evening, with some sparkling and stylish ornamentation. Similarly, the da capo arias (a format which Lampe revels in parodying) came out nicely ornamented on the da capo sections, a sign of Mr Gallant’s expert hand in the performing edition.
The Helikon Chamber Orchestra were concealed on the tiny set behind some hilarious bushes and shrubbery, but this was merely a prelude to more inventiveness from Igor Nezhny and Tatiana Tulubieva on the magnificent costumes. The Wall was a vast, wobbling rubber-jelly wall, complete with trailing ivy, in which Mikhail Seryshev pranced, scampered and danced. It was 26C outside, and in the C19th Salon in which the performance took place, it must have been hellishly hot inside a rubber-jelly wall…. Seryshev is an artist we mainly know in such roles as Bardolph, so it was a revelation to hear him flitting lyrically around the coloratura sections. He reappeared shortly after as the Man In The Moon, now clad in a ludicrous grave-diggers outfit straight from Young Frankenstein. Nikolai Dorozhkin and Anna Grechishkina – who had paired each other in the Helikon’s last C18th work, Gretry’s “Pierre le Grand” – reprised their excellent double act as Lampe’s protoganists. Grechishkina played Thisbe as a stage-struck canary, pausing to bat her eyelids wantonly at the audience mid-aria, and with a welter of hilariously exaggerated histrionics at the Lion’s appearance that richly deserved warm applause. Dorozhkin had the more difficult task of being “the straight man” – the humour in his role is the monstroustly over-written pseudo-italianate arias, with extended passage-work sections on ridiculously banal words or inappropriate syllables, and he accomplished all this with aplomb. There cannot be many Handelian tenors who can also knock-off the tenor lead in “Mazeppa” just weeks earlier? The fourth and last of the singing roles is the Lion – sung from inside a super pantomime lion’s costume by Mikhail Davydov. His rumbustious roarings still allowed him to slip into the audience to menace young children and pretty girls, all the while singing “Pray, do not fright ye!”. Although we probably know the Britten setting of this mock opera better, Lampe’s material is well worth reviving. Pyramus’s aria “Now, I am dead!” was delivered with deadpan seriousness, and a series of fake endings in which the self-impaled hero pops back for just one or two more notes of comic woe.
The musical numbers were all sung in well-delivered English, but the spoken dialogue (sung recitative was in fact the legal monopoly of the Italian Opera at the time, and couldn’t be presented in any other London theatre due to arcane rulings) was translated into elegant and amusing Russian. Dmitry Korotkov played croquet whilst discussing the scenery, Yuri Ustiugov was a top-hatted toff who believes himself to be very witty, and Leonid Varichenko gave a bravura Pantomime Dame of the Society Lady in drag. The clever translation even managed some topical puns, when the impresario decried other “new operas” one might hear – the New Opera being one of Helikon Opera’s rival companies in Moscow. The whole confection was splendidly assembled by producer Alexander Borodovsky, and the audience were treated to English Tea & Biscuits served by English-speaking lackeys during the Overture. Hot on the heels of Verdi’s Macbeth, and preceding Shostakovich’s “Lady”, the Helikon seem on an unstoppable roll this season – expectations for The Makropoulos Case premier (for which Rozhdestvensky is coming out of retirement specially) are running high. And milk in your tea is possible an even greater rarity than Lampe operas in Moscow. |
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| 231. | The Libertine
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The Libertine
Directed by Laurence Dunmore. Written by Stephen Jeffreys. Cast: Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton, John Malkovich, Rosamund Pike and Tom Hollander. UK, 115 min.
By Alex Meredith
Review Top Sheet: A period biopic of the notorious seventeenth century English cad John Wilmot. The film takes you into the seedy side of Restoration England through the portrayal of one of its sleaziest characters and attempts to show it wasn’t all just moustache stroking, religious squabbles and war avoidance back then (though there is a taste of all those on offer too).
Mostly, this film is about Johnny Depp. The coincidence of his name being the same as his character’s simply allows the support cast to chant it throughout in support of his Oscar bid. Altogether now, “Johnny, Johnny, Johnny”.
Will you like this film?
Yes if: you think Johnny Depp is a divine being, the beach scene in Baywatch gets you hot under the collar and you like English to be spoken in a way that is incomprehensible to foreigners.
No if: you had hoped to see something a bit raunchy and seventeenth century bisexuals in wigs talking vaguely about how naughty they are was not what you had in mind.
Maybe if: you have been, are, or intend to be, a bad boy, and need reassurance that you could be a lot worse (alcoholic, womanising syphilis victims however, might find it all a bit depressing).
Comments: Being so carried by one character (and actor), you almost expect there to be limited substance on offer here. We are there to find out about the man, not his story. The sad thing is that this film could have had both if only it hadn’t left so much out.
The outstanding omission is in the development of lead character (John Wilmot). We never get a real insight, resulting in thoughts about his survival, prosperity or otherwise, ranking somewhere below “I’m sure John Malkovich’s (Charles II) nose is not normally that big”. It’s probably not the lasting effect that the Director was hoping for.
Depp is however, outstanding as Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester. His performance oozes arrogance and conceit as well as the intelligence and pathos that this role requires. My only reservation is that it is a role that was made for him. John Wilmot is a Captain Jack Sparrow for grown ups, with an intellectual twist and less boats. His performance makes you believe that, if Depp had been born 350 years ago, he would have been every bit as uncontrollable as Wilmot; in the same way that Silence of the Lambs makes you think Anthony Hopkins should have been a serial killer.
Out-of-five star ratings:
Story **
Dialogue ***
Substance *
Film Craft **
Story comments: The tale of John Wilmot’s demise is an entertaining one and when you consider the cast, and the historical setting, it has the makings of a brilliant film.
Unfortunately like Wilmot’s talent, the massive potential has been wasted. We get half the film we could have; a bits-and-pieces view of what’s going on in Wilmot’s hedonistic life that never quite adds up to any sense of sympathy, or loathing. If we are really going to see the Earl’s soul, a personal insight into the madness should be to the fore, but other than the chest-beating of the introduction and conclusion, there is a definite lack of soul searching or soliloquy. The result is a frustrating experience.
Wilmot’s opening monologue introduces a character that he promises we will despise. Now I don’t regard myself as a prude so having “big-up’d” himself, I expected nothing less than utterly shocking debauchery. Yet, apart from the constant drinking, this Earl is a pussycat. If Wilmot is a player, then he is well past his peak form and either the introduction is too strong or, more accurately in my opinion, the story has been cut back to the point where it fails to live up to the billing.
Add the implausible sub-plot of Wilmot’s personal quest to produce a play to help the King to stave off a war (and possibly save the world) and you start to feel that this film is just a shop window for the main star. Unfortunately, that is exactly what it boils down to.
Dialogue Comments: This film contains endless dialogue and the close up angles put the spotlight on the words and their delivery. If you like the flamboyant expressionist vocabulary of Restoration England then you will enjoy the view. If English is not your first language or you suspect Shakespeare was dyslexic it might be tough going. For an hour nothing is said without dressing it up in full period obscurity and barely a sentence goes by without a rambling metaphor.
For a traditionalist like me, this verbose beating-around-the-bush was music to my ears and it was disappointing to see the resort to Sesame Street prose towards the end as the writer tried to force his points home.
As you might have guessed, Depp handles the technical script faultlessly.
Substance comments: Hats off to the filmmakers for dipping their toes in the water of some powerful themes; Love, Talent, Courage, Self Belief and Class are all featured which would normally leave you with plenty to digest on the trolleybus home. Unfortunately if we are going to take something away from this film then it has to come from the Earl’s character and since we know him only superficially, I for one, was not moved by the sales pitch.
Otherwise, the tenacity of Lizzie Barrie (Samantha Morton) is inspiring on some levels but there are inconsistencies in her character, leaving the overall impression that she is an ambitious unsentimental actress – not much to chew on there either.
In a final throw of the dice, Wilton’s epilogue tries to push the theme of Acceptance, but unmoved by the picture, my thoughts had turned to my dinner and I was only seeing Depp’s desperate final plea for the academy recognition. I guess I just get cynical after an hour and a half’s lobbying.
Filmcraft comments: They make some people spew, some see them as totally last season, but I like handheld cameras. In this film Dunmore uses them effectively, giving motion to long static wordy exchanges and intimacy to the moments of tension, particularly when Barrie is on stage.
Crucially the tight angles give London an authentic, cramped feel and the director has gone all out on seventeenth century grime, from the rats on the boots to the sweat on the wenches’ breasts. The effect is not beautiful, but it is convincing, which is more then can be said for the undercooked story.
If anyone is going to make the most of anything in this film, it would have to be statue-chaser Depp. His pale good looks come up well under the close attention of the handheld, particularly in the variable light of the backstage scenes.
A taste of the story: enfant terrible Wilton is called back from exile to write a literary work of genius for the king, falls in love with a plain leading lady who he coaches to stardom, before offending his benefactor and then rescuing the monarchy. |
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| 232. | Futureshorts Russia II Film Festival
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Futureshorts Russia II Film Festival
As an infrequent moviegoer whose diet is primarily high budget, low quality Hollywood cinema, it is sometimes easy to lose the sense of film as art. Mainstream productions of true artistic merit are rare as powerful commercial forces pull directors towards the mass market. Any function of filmmaking, beyond simply the generation of cash, can be forgotten, firewalling innovative productions from the part-timer’s consciousness.
Two encounters with the big screen last week highlighted the point beautifully. I don’t know what possessed me to buy and then even more inexplicably watch “The Terminal”, a 90 minute attempt to patronise and irritate anyone unfortunate enough to be watching it. Perhaps it was the tempting familiarity of seeing Tom Hanks opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones or maybe it was a blind faith in the ability of Steven Spielberg. Whatever my excuse, it was a mistake, and as the timely credits rescued me from the early onset of dementia, I was left to ponder how my faith in cinema could possibly get off the canvas after this weighty blow.
The resuscitation job was carried out on Saturday as I traded in my night on Moscow’s tiles for an hour in the wind tunnel of fresh air created by “FutureShorts” at 35mm. In 60 minutes of quick-fire quality, this selection of short films had taught me more about originality and imagination in world cinema than a year’s free entry to any Odeon you could mention. Varying from a 10 minute animated aircraft safety announcement to 2 minute black comedy on the lunar landing and including almost every genre in between there was a dish for every palate in the packed auditorium to enjoy. Personally I found an agreeable flavour in almost everything on offer, a tribute to the quality control job done by the curator.
Opening with a comical French sketch entitled “I am a horse”, I was slightly concerned that the collection might have placed the emphasis on cheap laughs. Happily this proved not to be the case. This Gallic farce was followed immediately by an animation from Germany that took us on a runaway train through a valley of death to a star wars shoot out using a series of evocative old movie clips and imaginative sketching. Whilst with this, and a couple of other more abstract offerings, the themes were difficult to fathom, you could not fail to be impressed by the imagination and workmanship of the finished product. In general, however, there was a lighthearted feel to the selection. The English study of a boy who sends his deceased 80 year old best friend on a final journey on his scooter to cause havoc at the ballroom dancing before heading off into the blue yonder was certainly intended to warm the heart. If the groans of approval from the audience were anything to go by, it achieved just that.
If I had to choose a favourite, then the Japanese piece featuring a girl named Yuki would be my selection. Another triumph of imagination and novelty, the piece follows our heroine through a very short series of insignificant events. The innovation of the creators brings in a new, almost identical actress to take the girl’s character for every new movement she makes, each actress remaining on set, standing motionless in a continuous line. As the camera gradually pans with a silky smooth movement of the lens across the short slice of Yuki’s day that we have been invited into, I found myself hopelessly drawn into the scene, looking eagerly for the next move and wandering where this train was going to lead. One of the most captivating elements of the work is the chirpy Japanese pop song, perfectly selected to match the rhythm of the piece and adding to its irresistibility. With such a short time to hold the audience’s attention, music can be a powerful tool of the short filmmaker and other than a rather tedious study of an orchestral drummer it was used with great skill throughout.
As the selection above illustrates, the curator’s choices cut across not only disciplines, but also geographical boundaries. Films from Europe, Asia and America made the grade with those that included dialogue being subtitled in English since the festival had not simply been put together for a Russian audience. The collection is midway through a tour of London, Paris and St Petersburg amongst others, something that appears to have been made possible by the highly visible sponsorship provided by a mobile phone manufacturer. Happily translation devices were provided leaving the predominately Russian audience reaching for their earpieces like a visiting UN delegation when the dialogue kicked in.
Having the good fortune to find entertainment and enjoyment in a place you least expect it is a rare and satisfying experience. Neither too long nor too abstract, this introduction to film shorts was just such an event, made all the more gratifying by the contrast with my recent less successful dabbles with cinema. I have no idea how they survive, but that there are studios all over the world producing material of this sort of quality is a cause for celebration. Therefore my advice would be - when Hollywood dross leaves you feeling bitter, try a little something short and sweet. |
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| 233. | Kaiser Chiefs
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Kaiser Chiefs
As gigs go, this one was in danger of winding down to a conclusion as disappointing as Russia’s Euro 2012 football campaign: a highly promising start gave every hope of a triumph in the making, but things were starting to sag a little as the latter stages came into view. And then, out of nothing, came the moment of magic that the fans had been waiting for. Spotting an unguarded passage down the right wing of the arena, Ricky Wilson timed his run to perfection to launch an audacious surge, which took him clear of the stage and planted him directly on top of the bar. Calling on the startled staff for vodka, he was perfectly placed to deliver a couple of songs for an audience which, abruptly, found it had been yanked out of an arena gig and returned to the intimacy of a club venue. With the security team left flat-footed by an unprecedented counter-attack, the singer had broken free and was back in touching distance of his fans (or at least those fortunate enough, or alcoholic enough, to be loitering at the bar rather than piling into the mosh pit). And, unlike Alexander Kerzhakov, his performance hit the target nicely.
It was a curious echo of the quasi-mythical 2005 gig that the band gave in the cramped confines of Kitaisky Lyotchik – a bizarre event which saw the UK critical success of debut release “Employment” lead to the Kaiser Chiefs’ first ever foreign show in one of Moscow’s least glamorous venues (OK, yes, the band also played a festival on Bolotnaya on the same visit, but when the legend is more colorful than the facts, stick with the legend!). It also highlighted, as much of any gurning for the cameras on-stage at Afisha Picnic last summer, how much more effective Wilson is when he has an audience he can communicate with face-to-face, or as close to face-to-face as possible. In a few moments he elevated the entire show from ‘competent’ to ‘memorable’ – a skill other acts would do well to consider.
The rest of the set ranged from the earliest days of the band’s career to tracks specially penned for the “Souvenir” greatest hits compilation that was notionally underpinning this tour. From the golden oldies, there was a rare outing for “Cover of your Magazine”, a three-minute spurt of sharp and spiky post-punk, which managed to cram in plenty of pre-echoes of the anthemic hits, which were to follow it. New tracks included “On the Run”, which carried another one of those trademark epic choruses, but veered close to soft-rock territory with a whisper of “St. Elmo’s Fire” hovering around the edges. More interesting was the darker “Listen to your Head”, with hints of a power ballad amid reverb-heavy vocals and heavy, sonorous piano. Even though they hail from the same part of West Yorkshire as half of Britain’s 1980s goth scene, Kaiser Chiefs don’t really do doom-laden. If they did, though, their Sisters of Mercy phase would probably end up sounding a lot like this.
Instead, however, the band serves up big choruses, easy to shout along to in any language, and it serves up plenty of them. From the opener, “Never miss a beat”, their music has chantable climaxes studded through them like the Kasier Chiefs logo on the stick of candy rock used to give a quintessentially English seaside vibe to the promo material for “Souvenir”. But if this music is, on one level, as definitively English as the earlier calls to rocking arms submitted by the likes of The Clash or The Jam, we’re already at one remove from the visceral anger of “A Town like Malice” or the rallying cry of “London Calling”. Even the likes of “I Predict a Riot” and “The Angry Mob” lack the edginess of their punk-era predecessors. This is musical revolution for the MP3 generation, where audiences are more likely to assault the world with a polyphonic ringtone than a well-aimed Doc Martens boot. As such, therefore, it’s appropriate that the engagingly witless “Ruby” is the song which ultimately becomes the night’s calling card. Punk may not be dead, but it’s closing in on retirement age by now.
If there was a serious disappointment, it was that the crowd seemed relatively small. Given how well the band had played at last year’s festival date, and given the huge numbers who flocked to both of The Prodigy’s shows at Stadium Live – and left seemingly content despite an ear-splitting sound mix which left much of the music buried in an impenetrable sonic soup – the promoters could have hoped for more here. After all, by Moscow standards, a cover of 1500 rubles wasn’t too extortionate for a touring act. Meanwhile, there is evidence that the sound crew at Stadium Live is beginning to hit its stride as well – the mix for this show was far better than other recent performances at the same venue, with pretty much everything coming off the stage clearly and the vocals never overwhelmed by the rest of the band. It was only that impromptu trip to the bar which caught the sound boys out, as Wilson retreated towards the back of the hall while the music blazed away from the onstage speaker sets. With the singer hamming it up and belting it out at the opposite end of the venue, it left a slightly disconcerting dislocation between sound and sight. But without a Rammstein-sized budget to fund two stages and a collapsible bridge between them, no tech crew can overcome that kind of spur of the moment gesture. |
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| 234. | Colder
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Colder
Some tiny section of Moscow, probably the contingent that goes to Thursday concerts at B2, must have known something about Colder before their concert. Either that or B2 was, against all odds, hyping the heck out of a band just for being French and experimental. I called them “French electro-pop” in my own magazine, but don’t remember writing it, have no idea what that really means and probably lifted it from Pitchfork. Other sexy terms attached to Colder are dark wave, neo-glam rock and minimalist post-post-post-punk. Now having seen him, a more helpful image would be the melancholy of Joy Division plus the ambisexuality of Bowie plus the robot dancing of Devo. Like a French Placebo.
Colder got a really late start, a bad idea for a Thursday night, as people have to work the next day and become cranky and restless. People like me. When they finally came out, the guitarist whipped out a violin bow, indicating it was going to be one of those kind of shows. Colder played Music to Kill Yourself By in a sparsely populated and dark hall, and it was a scary five minutes.
But miraculously, the tides turned, convincing those leaning towards eating a bullet to stay in this world. The lights turned on, the groove became less overtly suicidal and people off the street decided against better judgment to pay 900 rubles for a show that should have been over. At this point, it would be prudent to note that Colder is not the entire band, just singer Marc Nguyen Tan, a man with slender hips, creepy charisma and a tenuous relationship with the English language in which he sings. Another thing about Colder, evident immediately from the minimalist skinny jeans and Fred Perry polo ensemble, is that he daylights as a graphic designer.
The crowd, which was of a similar serious-about-the-music ilk as the singer, did not flinch at his patent “seizure” dance. Some even copied.
The rest of the band doesn’t normally get any props in the media, but the bassist with the truncated red tie deserves a special mention. His enthusiastic handling of the instrument, better known as making love to the bass, was humorously at odds with the I am the Colder image. Luckily, the man in the middle was too busy tweaking the knobs of his sound deck to notice what was going on behind him.
In the end, we couldn’t say that we liked Colder’s music, though we can appreciate that some people, the people who knew Colder in the first place and had a table at B2, like experimental electronic music and can pick out meaningful variation and stuff. On the other hand, thumbs up to the cutely tortured folk he reeled in. My friend would like to give a shout out to the sad guy in skinny jeans standing by himself. She can make you happy, and it begins with not listening to Colder. |
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| 235. | La Fresto
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La Fresto
La Fresto is one of the hardest working performers you will ever see. While the name brings to mind expectations of a Latin band, La Fresto, is in fact just one wild French guy. His real name is Laurent Lusseau and he does it all. The keyboard, microphone and laptop are all at his disposal when he goes to work making some of the most diverse electronic music around. And work he did, last Thursday night at one Moscow’s best venues, 16 Tons.
Appearing in Moscow as part of the French Alterative Spring festival, which aims to showcase lesser-known French acts; La Fresto brings a style not commonly found in this city. While he may be little know around here, La Fresto has received a good deal praise in France especially for his earlier album “Are you doing better”. Since Russians have gone crazy for all things French since back in Napoleon’s time. It’s not surprising that La Fresto would get a warm welcome here. Having recently completed a new album, La Fresto headed to Moscow looking to make a big impression.
Crouched behind his computer with wild hair and surrounded by smoke La Fresto resembles some sort of mad scientist. As his complex and unusually layered beats start to flow from the computer La Fresto starts moving around the stage like someone was shooting at his feet, jumping, spinning and getting everyone out of their seats. Next he grabs the mic and adds lyrics, which like his music, range from light and ironic to somber and heartfelt. Finally he moves to the keyboard, which he treats like someone who insulted his mom. Musicians’ abusing their instruments is nothing new but that sort of rough treatment is usually reserved for the guitar. Never have I seen a keyboard beaten like this. First he attacked with his hands and fists slapping it around. After that he kicked the defenseless object to floor and gave it a few stomps, which proved to be fatal. Toward the end of the show he announced that the keyboard was no longer functioning, I wonder why.
After a slow start Le Fresto really got the crowd into it with his amusing song “Look I’m Dancing”. He explained in his very polite English that he had thought of the song when he hurt his ankle while dancing recently. Showing no ill effects from the injuries, La Fresto laid down a thumping beat, took the mic and went into the crowd. He danced and if you were near him and not dancing, you were in trouble because La Fresto grabbed a few wall huggers and forcibly started them dancing. Pretty soon his help was unnecessary as the dance floor got filled. Later on, he slowed things down and even took on a very serious tone when explaining that his last song of the evening would be about his brother who died two years ago in an accident.
La Fresto style is changing and difficult to pin down and his electronic music is certainly well off the main streem, which made for an interesting show. La Fresto is defiantly not for everyone and some left the show shaking their heads. Yet most were thankful for all the work La Fresto put in to help them shake another part of their body. |
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| 236. | Memoirs of a Geisha
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Memoirs of a Geisha
Directed by Rob Marshall. Written by: Arthur Golden (novel), Robin Swicord (screenplay). Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Kiji Yakusho. 144 mins.
By Alex Meredith
Review Top Sheet: Who needs an introduction? The title gives it away and besides, you’ve probably motored through Arthur Golden’s novel already.
If you haven’t (like me) then this new take on the Cinderella story is unlikely to make you dash out and read it. Though geishas intrigue me, the main effect of watching the film was to heighten my desire to visit Japan. Otherwise, it is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours watching pretty girls in nice frocks, and that’s about it.
Will you like this film?
Yes if: You buy flowers for your living room twice a week and don’t care much for the details of Japanese history.
No if: You have feminist tendencies that are offended by a world where watery-eyed girls fight for the right to auction themselves, serve men tea and dance with fans.
Maybe if: You’re a geisha who’s down on her luck and needs a bit of a PR boost.
Comments: This film is visually very attractive. If it had no sound you would still walk out with a smile on your face. However, if you are looking for something more than celluloid eye-candy then you might be a little disappointed.
The memoirs are presented over three stages of the narrator/main character’s life. Being so sequential, the film chugs along gently, and since the view is so good, there is no chance of dropping off. I would even go so far as to say it is entertaining. The trouble is that neither the dialogue nor the action quite live up to the silky smooth costumes and sets.
Most of the time I felt like I was wandering through an oriental garden full of Japanese tourists speaking bad English.
Out-of-five star ratings:
Story: ****
Dialogue:*
Substance:**
FilmCraft:***
Story Comments: When a book sells 4 million copies and is translated into 32 languages it’s not because it has a pretty cover. This is a decent yarn.
Though the Cinderella love story is age old, readers and moviegoers have been seduced by the mysterious world of the geisha that this version presents. The narration guides us through this new setting giving the tale a convincing personal edge. I wanted Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) to achieve geisha status like I wanted Rocky to win the heavyweight title.
Putting aside the fact that Golden’s original subject has sued him for misrepresentation, this autobiographical style is thought to be a crucial factor in the book’s success and also makes the film extremely absorbing.
As for the love story; I found this less persuasive. An all-consuming desire borne out of buying a girl a cone of flavoured ice? And there was I wasting my time with chocolates and champagne….
Dialogue Comments: The dialogue is probably the worst aspect of the film. Watching Chinese actresses speak English with a Japanese accent is sometimes painful, other times incomprehensible.
When you put this impediment in the context of the ritualised world of pre-war Japan, then any chance of wit and flowing speech disappears as quickly as cherry blossom in a gale. When tensions mount between rivals Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) and Hatsumomo (Gong Li) the exchanges have a hammy rehearsed feel. If you like women for what they look like rather than what they say, you might be able to let these extraordinarily attractive girls off. I found it a bit wearing.
Substance Comments: Whether you see geishas as jumped-up hookers or masters of the art of seduction, the film presents a new angle on the ancient subject of male-female relationships that is extremely refreshing.
Also, if (like me) you have issues with selling children into slavery to start a cruel and degrading trade in their own flesh, you can’t fail to admire Sayuri’s tale of human triumph over adversity.
However, despite the controversy surrounding geishas, the ending failed to lead me to any solid conclusions. I may have missed something (like reading the book) but I was left completely clueless as to what became of Sayuri at the end. How am I supposed to make a full judgement about the eventful life that has been played out before me without knowing what happened at the end? How can I judge whether it was worth it? It was like stealing a read of a juicy diary then finding the writer can’t be bothered to keep it up. Very annoying.
In addition there is an issue about how realistic the film’s portrayal of geishas in pre-war Kyoto actually is. Some historians claim that even by the 1930s, geishas were no more than embarrassing anachronisms and the suggestion that they were awarded fame and respect is a convenient lie. It is not a point that will keep me awake at night, but one worth noting nonetheless.
Filmcraft comments: Director Marshall has really enjoyed himself with this film. It does not have the razzmatazz of his previous effort – Chicago- but it is a stunningly beautiful picture. From the cramped urban backstreets with their rickshaws and paper lanterns to the windswept rural settings of Sayuri’s childhood and exile I was completely enchanted by Marshall’s Japan. It is enough to make you go out and buy a ticket to Tokyo right there and then. So I did. I leave next week. It is that persuasive.
Back indoors, much of the action takes place in the traditional Japanese geisha house, the okiya. These buildings have many thin sliding doors and whether listening through then, slamming them or casting silhouettes, the director uses the doors brilliantly to increase the drama throughout.
Another strong motif is water. Beyond the constant references to Sayuri’s enchanting eyes, all the crucial moments of the story happen near water giving tranquillity to the film as well as adding to the outstanding beauty.
A taste of the story: Sold by their fisherman father to a Kyoto okiya, a country girl tells the story of her rise to the rank of geisha before war steps in, spoiling the party but reigniting an old flame. |
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| 237. | The Dead Brothers
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The Dead Brothers
They may not be brothers, and they are certainly not dead, but Swiss ensemble Dead Brothers did bring the lighter side of passing into the beyond to Moscow club B2 last Thursday as part of a two-stop tour (with a second gig in St. Petersburg).
Formed in Geneva as part of the Swiss experimental-music scene (yes, there is such a thing), Dead Brothers put out their first record in 2000. Heavily influenced by genres and musicians as diverse as Kurt Weill, cabaret, French chanson, psychobilly and Tom Waits, Dead Brothers brought their signature mix of high concept, low sleaze and just a good old time to the stage. In keeping with their motto — “dead music for dead people,” in a nod to a similarly named album by those icons of punk-rockabilly, the Cramps — they came out decked in their trademark pallbearers’ outfits and proceeded to treat the audience to a unique evening.
Dead Brothers’ songs tend to be about, well, death. But it’s by no means a melancholy group — no, the Dead Brothers approach to our universal final end is closer to that of an Irish wake, a celebration of our mortality. And celebrate they did, belting out both originals and classics (including the old blues number “St. James Infirmary” and the Cramps’ wall-crawling “Human Fly”) on guitar, drums, accordion and tuba. Hailing as they do from Switzerland, probably one of the most polyglot places on Earth, there is no surprise that they sang in English, French, German and Italian — though not in Russian, unfortunately though they did suggest that a Russian interviewer join the band and perhaps do some translation service. The lyrics were done in the raspy, nicotine-coated whine/growl/bellow style that did so much to propel Tom Waits to as close to the level of stardom as one can get on the cult stage — and which has become de rigueur for so much experimental music that tries to stir up blues, country and roots into a single eclectic mix.
That cabaret had a strong influence upon the group was evident as well by the theatricality of their stage show, which involved much hamming and shuffling about the stage in a (presumably) staged alcoholic stupor — think “The Threepenny Opera” with attitude and on a three-day drunk, and you’ll get a good approximation of what the band is like on stage.
B2 was a good choice of venue. Dead Brothers is something of a dance band, its dismal theme notwithstanding, and has got to be one of the only groups I have ever seen that can turn a funeral dirge into a no-holds-barred foot-stomp.
There is no word as to when and if Dead Brothers will be back in Russia. The band members themselves say that, though they have always tried to play further south, something about the Northern climes seem to draw them there. After all, celebrations of darkness may seem more relevant at a latitude where, in winter, the sun can be just a hazy recollection than in balmy Italy or Spain. In any case, if they do come back, don’t miss the opportunity so see them — after all, who knows when the bell will toll for any of us? It could be your final chance. |
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| 238. | Antony & The Johnsons
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Antony & The Johnsons
Antony Hegarty, the flamboyant frontman of Antony & the Johnsons, is not the first foreigner to admit to finding Moscow a bit of a mystery. But during his headline slot at the recent Ahmad Tea festival in Hermitage Garden he inadvertently stumbled on one of the quirks which makes life in Russia’s capital so captivating – if also so challenging at times. After all, as he mused from the stage, it’s a fast-paced, rough and ready city where ‘crazy things are happening behind every door’. And yet, in this apparently unpromising soil, something is nurturing the ‘angels’ who turn up to concerts like this – a rather camp, uncompromisingly highbrow brand of baroque pop, performed in dismal weather with the accompaniment of a full symphony orchestra. Compared with the brain dead output of mainstream Russian music, this is another world. On the face of it, there really shouldn’t be an audience for this at all in a country which seems to be in thrall to banshee-wailing balladeers and perky girl bands, or at best, which thrills to the visits of international touring acts who are already some way past their sell-by dates.
And yet, clearly, just as a country where a monolithic, self-perpetuating state apparatus cannot stifle the willingness of tens of thousands of nay-sayers to take to the streets in freezing winter temperatures to raise an objection which even many of those participating regard as somewhat futile, the dead hand of corporately approved pap – deftly steered by the deus ex machine figures responsible for Channel 1’s so-called “entertainment” schedules – cannot stifle public enthusiasm for music that goes a bit deeper than the obvious inane crowd-pleasers and ring-tone fodder churned out by Europa +.
Antony & The Johnsons perform a curious brand of music, one which in some respects contains as much duality as Moscow’s stratified cultural life. Drawing on Hegarty’s birthplace in Chichester, England, it sometimes seems to draw into the narrative ballad tradition – now half forgotten – of English folk music (or perhaps more accurately, the music of England’s urban communities, rather than the quirky morris-dancing gubbins). But if that seems to place the band alongside the likes of Billy Bragg and the socially-motivated music-making of the industrial underclasses, think again. It doesn’t even quite inherit the fragile world of Nick Drake, gently musing on a world which is despairingly far from reach before slipping into its own ethereal void. Instead, the second profound influence is Hegarty’s second life in New York, where he lives and where his musical, cultural journey led him to creative adulthood. In that melting pot of high art and low culture, where the spirit of Tin Pan Alley tries to turn every song into a show, that narrative tradition takes on a distinct new turn – stagier, more dramatic, yet somehow without slumping into casual showiness. It’s a kind of pop chamber music in its native state – but it comes with a voice straight off the Broadway stage.
Meanwhile, the show which came to Moscow took that chamber music and orchestrated it, transformed it from lieder to opera by ramping up the scale and hiring the stage band from Novaya Opera to accompany the show. All too often this kind of thing means gimmicks: lazy arrangers rely on kitsch, the strings take on a Hollywood vibrato and everything is lost in a vast vat of musical treacle. But not here. This time the arrangements are astute; woodwinds serve as more than mere piquant seasoning to the slush, brass adds texture rather than brute force. The intro to “The Cripple and the Starfish” might have a cinematic feel, but it’s the score to a film you’d want to watch more than one rather than the parping rumble of a brain-in-neutral blockbuster. But this ties in with the ethos observed by other musicians: in Hegarty’s music the commitment is always to the integrity of the song. As Adrian McNally, whose folk band The Unthanks peformed a set built around these songs a couple of years ago, observes: “There is never a spare not played or one struck to impress. They appear entirely consumed with the search for beauty and truth.”
It’s high praise, and helps build that high-brow wall around Hegarty and his colleagues. But, as always, it’s only part of the story. The performance, battling against unhelpful weather for an outdoor festival, was no Symphony Hall recital. The setting may appear stuffily operatic, but the singer himself remains rooted in Broadway rather than the Met. It’s a rendition of big-hearted torch songs typified by the likes of “You are my sister” and “For today I am a boy” rather than shallow, calculating show stoppers. Some questions remained – it was a surprise to hear him stumble on more than one occasion over the lyrics, relying on a measure of charm to get out of a hole without trying the fans’ patience. But on the whole, it was a triumphant performance.
Sadly, the rest of the festival struggled to keep up. A bizarre scheduling decision saw the intriguing I am Kloot appear first. As a result the inventive pop orchestra was all but finished as the venue was still filling up. And that disappointment was compounded by the unimpressive contribution of Farfallo, an aging English singer-songwriter with limited appeal which left the crowd getting increasingly damp despite the hasty distribution of complementary raincoats for all. That sudden uniform – shapeless white robes and pointy hoods – gave proceedings a somewhat surreal feeling. Depending on your point of view it might call to mind either the notorious ‘sperm’ scene from Woody Allen’s “All you ever wanted to know about sex”, or a bizarre parody of a Ku Klux Klan gathering. For Hegarty, however, a sea of soggy white plastic was “like singing to a cloud” comprised of the “angels of Moscow”. |
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| 239. | Guru
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Guru
B2 is spacious, but – and this is the point that I made to DYKO when they confronted me by email about a bad review – it can get full. Take last Thursday’s Guru concert, which was packed to the hilt with homeboys who paid 900 rubles a corn-rowed head for entrance. Cha-ching! Cue B2 rolling around naked in cash.
For the rare and happy occasion of a hip hop concert, my sidekick and I rolled in blinged out in the works: puffy J.Lo jackets, fat DSquared2 belts, dollar-sign earrings, skull-and-crossbones rhinestone necklaces. While “Jennies from the Block” were a big hit with the security guards, the dress code inside was less ghetto fabulous, with maybe only five full sweat suit ensembles. As it turned out, Guru blew us out of the water. Taking the stage on hip hop time, which is an hour and a half late, he emerged like the lost member of Run DMC, Bic-bald with gold chains and a “Hip Hop 4 Life” neck tat (!), accompanied by his associate MC Solar, so named because he’s “5,000 degrees, burning yo’ ass.” Solar’s role is repeating the last word of whatever Guru says on stage.
High points of the concert were a song with a chipmunk-voiced “Live and Let Die” chorus and Guru doing push-ups with his legs on the speakers, impressive for a 38-year old man. Actually, most of the show was a high point – I have not waved my hands like I just did not care since DMX performed at B-Club last fall. Two nine-year old boys won Guru’s contest of who could scream “Yeah, mothaf*cka, yeah, mothaf*cka, yeah!” with the most enthusiasm, and he brought them on stage.
There was, however, tangible friction between Guru and the Russian homeboy contingent, such as when the rapper asked the audience “Are any of you old enough to drink?” or singled out people in the crowd that he didn’t like. (Poor “kid in the sweatshirt.”) For what its worth, the crowd seemed to really dig him, although there were some bad apples. We found ourselves standing by the stage next to a drunkie throwing Sieg Heils. Concerned it would turn into a “situation” when Guru focused in on what the crazy white boy below him was doing, we returned to the rafters.
In his between-songs monologues, Guru expressed a preoccupation with the threat of people swiping his style and passing it off as their own. After enough of this, I too became paranoid. My friend started wearing skulls after me – did people think it was her idea? But a lot of this was lost in translation for the crowd. At one point, Guru tried to introduce a new piece of vocabulary to name these insidious identity thieves, “swagger jacker,” an expression found in no Advanced English Conversation textbook. It confused the hell out of everyone. Also, the traditional rap call-and-response (Rapper: “When I say ‘X,’ you say ‘Y.’ ‘X!’” Crowd: “Y!”) crashed and burned when Guru tried to get too sophisticated with it. E.g. Guru: “When I say ‘Jazzmatazz’, you say ‘Dropping a new album ‘Seven Grand’ in 2007. Ready? ‘Jazzmatazz!’” Crowd: “Uh, Jazzmatazz!”
But other than that, what a great show! We grew together as people. As Guru told the audience, “It doesn’t matter if you’re a rapper, a carpenter, an artist or a ‘Russian gangstaaaa’ – you have to work hard on your game.” And that’s it – the fuel to be the best Expat.ru culture reviewer that I can be. |
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| 240. | Alina Orlova
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Alina Orlova
Alina Orlova’s delicately-wrought miniatures can easily take on the aspect of chamber music – and as such might be better suited to one of the smaller halls at MMDM rather than Moscow’s bars and clubs. In a packed 16 Tons not even a room full of loyal fans could inspire an evening which really showed off her music to its best.
The Lithuanian singer-songwriter has been steadily carving out an international reputation for herself, and has a growing following here in Russian, many of whom are word perfect in her songs. That’s some achievement considering that Orlova sings in Russian, Lithuanian or English. Meanwhile her second album, Mutabor, got an international release earlier this year amid enthusiastic promotion from Travis frontman Fran Healy, who lobbied for her song “Vaiduoklai” to be included as one of seven tracks on a sampler of emerging international artists.
Her work, tending towards the meditative, largely revolves around keyboard hooks and ethereal vocals: at times it’s like listening to the lesser-known offspring of Phillip Glass and Tori Amos. Critics have described it as “a high-trilling voice and a unique line in exhilaratingly dark, Baltic folk pop”. That’s only part of the story, though. Orlova has taken the stage at “Lady in Jazz” events as well, and her work is too versatile to be pigeonholed into any one genre.
Despite the praise for her music, it’s a fragile, high-pitched sound, and one which is easily shattered when the mix isn’t quite right. Sadly, with an overly harsh reverb on the upper registers of the keyboard and the higher-pitched vocal lines, that mix was exactly the problem with this show. It still wasn’t without it high points. Orlova is nothing if not versatile, and moved easily between the rather classical-sounding combination of keyboard with strings to a stint with only a piano to help out. Alone on stage, she suddenly came across as more of a cabaret singer taking a moment to ease off the tempo and pick out a more reflective number – albeit one which strayed far from the standard formula. Perhaps surprisingly the best moments came when the ivories ceased to be tickled. A plangent, folk-inflected lament accompanied by dense chords on a solo violin was a show-stopping highlight; a second number with Orlova taking up the accordion also worked well. But too many of the tracks from Mutabor got lost in an unhelpful acoustic: the likes of Sirdis lost their crystalline subtleties somewhere along the way.
That was hugely disappointing: much of her music works beautifully when it can be properly heard, and the up-tempo numbers – particularly “Amerika” – went down well with the audience at 16 Tons. But it took a long time for the show to really warm up, and with a set lasting barely 75 minutes time was not a luxury Orlova really had. It seems that she is now at something of a crossroads: in her native Lithuania she made her reputation on the back of her “cozy” shows, and her Moscow sets have tended to come to venues like this one, or the similarly compact Masterskaya. But increasing popularity means “cozy” quickly becomes “overcrowded”. However, translating such low-key, intimate music to a larger stage risks it becoming totally overwhelmed. Until an answer can be found, it might be worth sticking with the CDs. |
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| 241. | Telepopmusic
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Telepopmusic
What makes a show good? The band. What makes a show great? The crowd. Friday night at Apelsin had both elements, but Telepopmusic took little credit. “We were terrible, but they were great,” said singer Angela McCluskey. Drummer/DJ Christophe Hetier agreed that the crowd was fantastic, “It’s more about attitude here than in Western Europe. There’s a real virginity to things. The audience gives and it’s great.”
Still, the audience of a couple hundred people didn’t just give for nothing. Telepopmusic were alone in thinking their performance was bad. Their website describes the music as “nu-jazz, hip hop, electropop and even torch song.” It’s made not with samples, but with instruments. Perhaps it’s extra smooth as a result. The core of the group are Frenchmen Fabrice Dumont, Stephan Haeri and Christophe Hetier. They build the music around songs that featured vocalists write. For more information on their exact roles you can visit their website (it doesn’t add a lot of clarity though). Regardless, a year making their latest album Angel Milk has paid off. The different progressions, fast or slow, take you just where you want to go.
Telepopmusic has three different vocalists on Angel Milk: singers Angela McCluskey and Deborah Anderson, as well as rapper Mau. On Friday, Angela and Mau traded places every song or two.
The songs with Angela remind people of Billy Holiday. That’s going a bit far, but there is something to it. She has remarkable timing and great control of her voice. It’s very melodic with a little whine. This isn’t bad. It adds desperation to the songs. One fan came up to her after the show, and though he didn’t have the English to say all he wanted, exuded his feelings, simply saying “Your voice! Your voice!”
Mau has fast and slow raps. The slow ones are closer to spoken word. It’s a tough style because the rhythm is hard to maintain and harder to convey. At times he did it well, but it sounds better on CD. The faster raps, though, were filled energy that made the crowd bounce with excitement.
Both Mau and Angela had excellent stage presence during the songs, and they had fun bantering with the crowd. Angela danced to the music and did her best to speak some Russian. She brought the house down reading a phonetic version of some famous lines from the cartoon Bremenskiye Muzykanty (the crowd was shouting along and gave some of the loudest cheers of the night for it). Mau was more talkative explaining what the songs were about (loving crack, a love song for butterflies, monkeys with wings) and good at getting the audience going during the songs. He didn’t have to work too hard though. “I’d tell you to move closer, but you’re already here!”
The set started off with some laid back songs that only occasionally had a quick beat. About half way through the set things started to pick up, and it felt like a disco by the end. Especially strong was their hit “Breathe.” It was in a Mitsubishi commercial a few years back and a lot of people heard of them through it. (Its creation was actually a joke though, said Angela. Normally a non-smoker she was with the chain smoking Frenchies and singing “breathe” as a lark). Also remarkable was “Smile.” They actually did it twice because it was their favorite song. The second time was for the first encore. After the upbeat end of the set it had even more energy. Christophe said “there were about 4 songs we’d never played so well before” and that version of “Smile” was one of them.
The final evidence of how much fun everyone had was that they got the band to play another song after a three song encore. First encores are standard affairs, but the crowd wouldn’t leave and the band “broke the rules” to play one more. We could have done with ten more. |
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| 242. | Kronos / Kluster
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Kronos / Kluster
Since their formation in 1976, practically every major western composer has collaborated with the Kronos Quartet. They've premiered works by Philip Glass, John Cage, Luciano Berio, Stockhausen, Arvo Paart... they've championed the avant-garde, and recorded benchmark performances of Shostakovich and Bartok... whilst also sharing the stage with personalities as diverse as David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno. But - how do you follow that? Although their Moscow gig was announced as a joint concert with Finnish concept-music duo Kluster (Kimmo Pohjonen & Samuli Kosminen), publicity attention inevitably focussed on the Kronoses themselves. With no concrete information about what they were going to play, MDM had sold-out largely on the Kronos name alone. Kluster are probably well known in their native Finland - but their fame hasn't yet travelled far. On the basis of this gig, however, it's probably too early to rush out and buy Kluster cds. Meanwhile, the Kronos Quartet faced the difficult task of living in their own shadow.
MDM is a crummy venue - a grotty worn-out soviet dump where time has stood still since 1987. Promoters blamed the single security gate for the 1.5-hour late start, but this was obviously far from the only reason - why had we been forced to gulp-down our drinks to take our seats ninety minutes too early? The mood was already sour when Kronos took the stage, without Kluster, for a very short first half. We had three pieces, plus an opening dedicatory lament to the Beslan victims – introduced in English by David Harrington, lead violinist of the quartet. There was some inventive use of sequencing and sampling, and some delicious lush textures laid-down by the viola and cello. The remained of the first half was also introduced by Harrington – and considering that the audience was over 95% Russian, it seems to be somewhere between carelessness and rudeness not to provide either a translation or a printed program? However, after only 30 minutes we were being herded out of the hall for the interval, so that lighting and electronics could be set-up for the second half.
To say the resulting sound/light show was underwhelming isn't saying much - in fact the only noticeable difference from the first half was a back-projection of Roehrich's three-holed tantric symbol, for no obvious reason. Attention was thrust back upon the music itself - and it was barely robust enough to support this attention. Announced as "work in progress", it was an improvisational piece for accordion, synth/sampler, and string quartet. In practice this amounted to eight different, although remarkably similar, slow crescendos. Each one peaked and dropped back to the pianissimo of the next. By the fifth of the series the fatal weakness of this paper-thin material was blazing brighter than any promised spotlight. Far from anything new at all, this infantile "look what an expensive synth I've got" approach was deep-rooted in the 1980's - and wholly out-classed even by veteran pieces like Tubular Bells (whose presence seemed to lurk in the background throughout). This was heavily derivative work any 2nd-year music-college student could produce - except that it wouldn't cost 1000+Rbs to hear student work. I wish I could say it had made me angry or left me fuming, but it failed to do even this - and just left me bored stiff. 1 out of 5 for effort, and really must do much, much better than this. If music came with sell-by dates, this was well past "consume-by". |
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| 243. | Refree
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Refree
Colorful yet low key. Thoughtful yet spontaneous. Jazzy yet soulful. With so many delightful and obvious contrasts that simply blend together while performing, it's no wonder Muscovites keep receiving Spanish band Refree with open arms.
Fresh off the plane and fresh off sleep - as singer/songwriter/guitarist, Raul Fernandez, later admitted - the eclectic quartet first graced the stage of Club Avant (35mm) on Friday, December 10, for the first of two scheduled performances in Moscow. It would prove to be just the warm up they needed for Saturday night's gig at Kitaisky Lyotchik Dzhao Da. Dubbed by some critics as the "Catalan Radiohead," Refree seems to take on a more classical American rock style/jazz mix of its own.
Their storytelling, contemplative songs didn't seem to work as well under the cold blue lights on the bigger, slightly elevated, more distant Avant stage. However, their candid easy-going style, and well-composed smooth music between Spanish accented English explanations and jokes, still managed to get the equally eclectic and interested crowd of young and old Muscovites smiling, clapping and on their feet begging for more songs. Most of their music selection came from their album "Quitamiedos" and some from their latest album "Nones" including a cohesive series of highs and lows made clearly distinguishable through the melancholy keyboard and accordion, slightly reminiscent of the Doors.
This seemed to be more audible Saturday night at Club Lyotchik where the band let loose, playing freely in the compact living room-like setting crammed with chairs and people encircling the smaller, warm, dimly-lit stage..."the perfect setting" for Refree as keyboardist/accordion player Baldo later described it, "We definitely felt better tonight...we like to play in smaller venues with a closer crowd."
"People are different here [Moscow]," Fernandez explained, "You are naked when you play, it is more natural...It's different than in Paris or Barcelona where people are more accustomed to concerts and people need to know you to come...people here just come, knowing or not knowing...they are more happy." Baldo added, "There is a feeling of calm and peace when I come to Russia...people can find solitude here."
Perhaps it was the overall setting and attitude or perhaps it was the fact that this was the first place Refree played upon coming to Moscow 18 months ago as the first foreign group, band manager Maxim Silva-Vega stated, which gave them this sense of comfort and ease on stage. Which ever the case, there was no pulling the four off once they started at Lyotchik and there was no need to as the whiskey colas kept rolling, the cigarettes kept burning, and the crowd kept cheering. Though Fernandez would threaten the audience with announcements like, "Ok this is our final song," he was quickly and easily persuaded into another as the roomful of responsive Muscovites pleaded, "Niyet! Niyet!"
True to his genuine, open, soft spoken, poetic stage presence, Fernandez made it a point to share, "I think it's stupid when musicians go off stage and come back for a final song...if you want us to keep playing, we'll play!"
Even though the Barcelona-based group had to go back home to fine tune a few things on their new album, with such a positive, supportive response here, it may not be long before Refree will find themselves back in Moscow hearing those same enthusiastic Niyets of this past week-end. |
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| 244. | Stereo Total
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Stereo Total
Stereo Total’s third Moscow appearance celebrated the fifth anniversary of the club Art Garbage – reviews of recent gigs elsewhere promised an entertaining Friday evening.
French born Fran?oise Cactus, (Van Hove) and Berlin native Brezel G?ring are Stereo Total. Together for almost ten years, the pair has established a strong following, evident in the large number of people filing into the courtyard area of Art Garbage from the early hours of the evening.
The open outdoor area of Art Garbage gives a very comfortable European feel, maybe spoiled somewhat by the very ‘naff’ yellow sun umbrellas. The retro lounge music played live on original vinyl created an enjoyable atmosphere in which to eat and drink in the lead up to the main act.
The crowd eagerly awaited the start of what promised to be a great show, and handfuls of Russian locals, a few arty Ex-pats and a lot of French and German cult followers began jamming into the side room from 10pm.
In contrast to the outdoor area the room itself has a very Russian design. A small, square shaped room made of brown brick; it has a shelf close to the ceiling which boasts a number of clay sculptures, portraying some recognizable people of Russia’s past.
10:45 pm, into a room already clouded with smoke, Brezel G?ring took the stage with an appreciative roar. Clad all in black - PVC pants, leather jacket, short sleeved business shirt and tie, he is in stark contrast to his partner who appears dressed casually in jeans and a flowery shirt.
The set made up of a wide mixture of songs ranging from 70’s disco, to punk, to garage rock, to rockabilly, and in languages including French, German, English and Japanese, is performed with a chemistry that certainly proves why they have been together for almost 10 years.
The pair very casually spoke earlier of their coincidental meeting in Berlin. Already involved with musical projects (Brezel was in a band called the Sigmund Freud Experience, Fran?oise in a garage band called The Lolitas), they wound up living on the same street, where passing hellos turned into regular conversation, and ended with the recording of their first single “Allo j'?coute”, and eventually becoming Stereo Total.
Driven by their desire to travel, and need to connect with audiences in their own language Stereo Total proceeded to develop a wide variety of styles and sing in a number of languages, casting the net very widely indeed.
A crowd favourite from Friday’s performance was definitely Supergirl. Brezel enjoyed winding the crowd up with his soft voice and lively rhythm, while Fran?oise charmed with her own brand of comic satire while playing everything from the tiny drum set to her red heart shaped guitar.
If nothing else Stereo Total gave this crowd an experience with no musical boundaries; short catchy song tunes in more languages then were understood by most (sorry, no Russian… yet!) , and they managed to entertain the packed room with no particular stage effects of any kind. Devoted followers and new Russian fans can look forward to Stereo Total’s new studio album to be released later this year. |
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| 245. | The Scriabin Museum classical performances
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The Scriabin Museum classical performances
The young lady I tutor in English asked me the other day if I hated Russia. "You always grumble about being here . . ."
Shocked by her observation, I explained it's due to disenchantment with world politics, but innerly resolved to re-adjust my attitude. Henceforth, in line with a fresh attempt to seek out and savour the "other Russia" (as she put it), I vowed to breathe culture weekly.
Wednesday evenings at seven, modest concerts are held in the cozy hall of Scriabin Museum. The Museum is hidden in a little alley off Stary Arbat. You can find it by walking towards Arbatskaya from the McDonalds and turning left onto Bolshoi Nikolopeskovckiy pereulok. The Moscow State Academic Philharmonic provides performers while about seventy blue-plastic footed housewives compose the audience. They're really cute.
Once we all settled into the warm, golden walled hall, an adorable Russian lady with blue eye-shadow and halo hair stood up to announce the program. She kept mixing up what she was supposed to say but only because she was lost in the joy of presenting such talented artists. "Tonight an award-winning young lady will sing for you." "!!!!Play the piano!!!!" "Oh yes, of course, a pianist."
Chopin must have sat and listened a lot to rain fall, and brooks babble and rivers rush. So we sat and listened to lots of interlocking patterns of complicated water drops. Scriabin’s portrait benevolently surveyed the proceedings. Chopin had been a spring of inspiration for the late composer so he seemed pleased with the rendition.
Have you ever read a novel about Russian aristocrats? Along with sitting in drawing rooms speaking French, they go to the theatre and inevitably attend balls. Old dames’ gossip. Little Masha gets excited about her entry into society. The gentlemen smoke cigars and plan who to propose for a whirl. Meanwhile, corseted coquettes in jewels and satin, wax melancholy imagining their vexation if adored Alexandr doesn’t ask them to dance the Mazurka.
Ever intrigued by why the mazurka so appealed, it was a delight to hear about ten variations of the Polish folk dance. It almost seemed unusually rigid for a favourite song (there were surprising light moments in the rhythm), but apparently it's accompanied by foot stomping and heel clicking. The girls must have had a thing for that. The Mazurka would also be the last number . . .
Scriabin is a composer to be respected, especially as he allows Muscovites to use his home for concerts - so along with offering him a bouquet of red roses, the pianist dedicated an entire half show to his compositions. I had never heard Scriabin's work before. What marvellous ruminous music! This man was a thinker. He pondered how the melody felt while forging the line's progression instead of just intuiting it. The first song sounded like a plough tilling a field while leaving the top layer of soil unturned. In the second it was the same mechanism, but now mixing the soil and the plants above. I thought it was great. I'm going to buy a Scriabin CD and listen to it when I think about politics.
The Scriabin Museum hosts classical performances every Wednesday at seven. For a taste of Russian culture in a comfortable setting surrounded by unpretentious people, check it out. In February, the second and twenty-third will be vocal performances. On the ninth a quartet playing Shostavovich and on the sixteenth a chance to hear Scriabin, Ravel, Poulenc and Mussorgskii pieces. |
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| 246. | IX Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival
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IX Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival
There's a moment during "Will you be there?" when suddenly one of those visionary insights drops from above. If only Kraftwerk had been fronted by Morrissey, the result would have been Deine Lakaien. Vocalist Alexander Veljanov, a Macedonian based in Germany, straddles the same fine line between self-indulgence and excellence that the former Smiths frontman has veered across throughout his career, while behind him Ersnt Horn rattled up a fusillade of pounding electronica which wouldn't have disgraced Ralf Hutter and the boys. Yet Deine Lakaien's set - a new one, which combined several acoustic numbers with their trademark technology - wasn't quite the perfect ending to the festival. Partly that was down to logistics - a gig which had been scheduled to finish around midnight inevitably over-ran, meaning the crowd thinned alarmingly as the witching hour of Metro o'clock hoved into view.
But it also reflected the difficulties Deine Lakaien, a band which tends towards reflective rather than uproarious music, would have in following the powerful industrial performance of Mexico's Rabia Sorda. Both acts are impressive in their own way, but after the latter really got the party going, the Germans risked ending things on a downbeat. That would be a harsh criticism of the band, which produced strong versions of "Over and done" and encored with a chilling take on 80s synth symphony "Round and round", but reversing the running order might have been a smart move from the organizers.
Why? Because Rabia Sorda was simply magnificent. While the group is a solo spin-off for Hocico frontman Erk Aicrag, and is felt to be the outlet for his more reflective music (it's electroclash rather than aggrotech, for those who like their labels), nobody would mistake it for easy listening. On stage, Aicrag is a captivating figure, wild-eyed and spikey haired, leading his audience into an industrial frenzy with echoes of Rammstein (an act heading to Moscow early next year). There was some serious stage-prowling going on up there as well. The music contrasted sharply with much of what had gone before, and lifted the bulk of the crowd from discreet toe-tapping to vigorous pogo-ing. Even the girl in ultra short zebra-print shorts became excitingly animated for a few moments, which was surely worth the entrance money on its own.
The high-octane approach was a welcome contrast to the slightly monotonous sets of both Solar Fake and Cause and Effect. The latter, flying over from the US, were hit with technical problems at the start of their set and never quite recovered. On the other hand, kicking off a show at a synth festival with a solo track for acoustic guitar was quite an audacious stroke, even if it was only because the laptop had crashed and the electronics were lost for the time being.
Solar Fake had more luck, and a bit more life about them. However, it was striking that their most successful track on the night was a cover of "Such a shame", originally by English 80s synth-poppers Talk Talk, and later covered by Sandra, who took it high in the German charts. Not a bad song, by any means, but compared with the contrasting artistry of those who came later it highlighted a slight blandness among much of the genre.
For veterans of previous Synthetic Snows, the move from Tochka to Pipl prompted some questions, mostly about the distance from the metro (and, perhaps, the slightly intimidating stroll through some ill-lit, run-down backstreets which felt like out-takes from a Kino clip) and the smaller crowd than previous years. But those who did venture out were rewarded with an intriguing line-up and, after a slow start, some memorable performances. |
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| 247. | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
You’ve probably heard it before: “Ignorance is Bliss”. Now, suppose science granted you the ability to achieve a ‘spotless’ mind, could you really bask in the bliss that this eternal sunshine could provide? This is essentially the crux of this new film, written by Charlie Kaufman. Masquerading as a regular boy-meets-girl movie, we find that it is littered with numerous existentialist references, much like his previous work.
Kaufman if you may remember, was the same warped mind who penned “Being John Malkovich”, “Human Nature”, and “Adaptation”. Surrounded by an all-star cast featuring Jim Carrey, Kaufman enlisted “Human Nature” director Michel Gondry, who does not disappoint. The verdict: “Eternal Sunshine…” is a superb film.
Memory Maze
The movie opens with Carrey’s character, Joel, waking up from bed and getting on his way to work, when he suddenly gets a strong impulse to take the train to a place he’s never been to before. It is on this little journey where he meets Clementine, played by Kate Winslet. By the time the opening credits roll shortly after, chronology is out the window, and we are treated to an exciting labyrinth-like story, populated with images both real and surreal.
Later we learn that there is a new breakthrough in Neural Science: a procedure to eliminate chunks of memory “equivalent to a night of heavy drinking”. After learning that Clementine had just recently subscribed to this treatment to remove her memories of Joel, he decides he wants to do the same, only to have second-thoughts midway through the procedure. The rest of the movie then proceeds as an adventure, as Joel tries his best to squirrel away his remaining memories of Clementine, while layer after layer of the whole truth unfolds.
Great Expectations
Before I came to see this movie, I was unsure of only two things: as a Charlie Kaufman fan, I knew his screenplay was as good as gold. I also thought the same of the supporting cast: Winslet, Tom Wilkinson (Dr. Mierzwiak), and Kirsten Dunst (Mary) are all very accomplished actors in the world of English-language cinema. To me, the success of the movie hinged on two critical questions… First of all, can Michel Gondry direct this movie with the same sensitivity and connection that Spike Jonze exhibited in “…Malkovich” and “Adaptation”? Well, as I said earlier, he does not disappoint, although his style has softened quite considerably from “Human Nature”. He has taken a more subtle approach, and even with some very imaginative visuals, you still can’t help but be immersed in the actors’ performances.
So that takes us to critical question two: What about Jim Carrey? Well, as the flag-bearer, he finally gets to flex his dramatic muscles to great effect. It is in this vehicle where Carrey finally does a great job in shedding his clown-prince persona. In earlier dramatic efforts such as “The Truman Show” and “The Majestic”, you were always secretly waiting for him to freak out and overact, a la “Ace Ventura” or “Liar, Liar”. As a visibly older (and very disheveled) Carrey, however, his features are more pronounced and his performance more sincere. Yes folks, he has finally arrived.
Bittersweet Symphony
It is evident to see the ease in which Carrey is able to portray his character with the same multi-layered complexity as Kaufman’s script and Gondry’s direction. “Eternal Sunshine…” is not only very entertaining, but also a very intimate study that hopefully engages the mind and evokes memories past. If we are only but a collection of our experiences both bitter and sweet, what happens once memories are forgotten or erased? Even though the procedure is deemed irreversible, the chance to rediscover ourselves will always remain. |
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| 248. | Lydia Lunch
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Lydia Lunch
Last Thursday, the controversial American feminist punk singer, writer and poetess, Lydia Lunch, played a low-key gig at B2 as part of her tour to celebrate her 25 years in the music business. In what was one of the most hyped ‘underground’ concerts in recent times, the gritty New Yorker who has in the past worked with such musicians such as Nick Cave and German anarchists, Einsturzende Neubauten, gave Moscow a brief taste of her confrontational brand of vocal hooliganism.
She was joined on stage by her long time friends and fellow musicians Terry Edwards, Ian White and James Johnson. The small cramped smoky stage was the perfect setting for Lunch’s dark and tortured persona. The small crowd that had gathered in the pit directly below the stage seemed to slowly grow impatient as the 11 p.m. start time came and went. The relatively expensive ticket prices had seemed to put few people off as more and more fans pushed their way to the front. All around the balcony a mainly Russian crowd struggled to balance pints of freshly poured Nevskoye whilst trying to jostle their way to the best position. Then the lights came on. The dark arena was filled with an incredibly eerie green glow. The three male musicians made their way to their instruments before the rotund Lydia Lunch dressed provocatively in a revealing black top with a black top hat, appeared on stage.
She said few words to the crowd, preferring to let the music do the talking. The backing group played their first chords confidently. Lunch swaggered from side to side glaring at the crowd as if a wild animal ready to pounce on its prey. She then let fly with her first song.
Her strong American accent was as overpowering as it was tuneless. Her voice, gritty after years of touring and heavy smoking, seemed to swallow the words that came from her mouth. It was difficult to determine whether she was actually singing in English. There contrast of the band’s superb sound and the weakness of the lead was disappointing. The crowd was left confused. Lydia Lunch was too; rather oddly she had to read the lyrics of her songs from a song sheet. All but the die-hard fans struggled with her stream of incomprehensible noise. They did not know how to react. Some moved in time to the music, others nodded their heads backwards and forwards. They were at a loss to understand this music. Lunch’s sexually explicit and confrontational lyrics lost their edge in a mist of wheezy screams and missed notes.
Her singing style would have embarrassed even the entrants of down market karaoke contests. It certainly was painful to listen to. The spoken tracks, where Lunch voiced her thoughts to an accompaniment of heavy guitar chords and drumbeats, were more successful. Her monotone delivery, radical ideas and the moody backing music were well suited to the intimate, slightly seedy atmosphere of the club. However this was most certainly lost on the Russian audience.
Obviously Lydia Lunch has got talent; her career would not have spanned decades nor continents if it were otherwise. Unfortunately her concert in Moscow last week was not up to the hype that preceded it. I was tempted to buy one of her CDs that were on sale around B2 but was scared off by the horrible thought that her Moscow performance may be typical.
So is Lydia Lunch really one of the top ten most influential musicians of 1990s as has been claimed by some elements of the American music press? Well, thankfully she probably is not; otherwise 1970s punk rock (where lack of singing talent was no obstacle to success) would still be popular today.
Robert Lees |
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| 249. | Dear Frankie
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Dear Frankie
Directed by Shona Auerbach. Written by Andrea Gibb. Starring: Gerard Butler, Jack McElhone, Emily Mortimer, Mary Riggans. 105 min. UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a well-crafted and emotionally harrowing film with a great central idea, fine photography and the occasional curious blunder.
This is a full-on weepy. If anything you’ve seen in the last year has had you quietly dabbing the corners of your eyes, this film will leave you howling on the floor in a pool of your own tears.
Not first-date material if one of you is a single parent. Nor is it a boys’-night-out film if you have a tender underbelly and don’t want your mates laughing at you.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you’re into a good emotional battering and like to mainline large doses of pathos in your free time
• No, if: you’re a systems analyst, a computer programmer, or enjoy doing anything connected with an Excel spreadsheet
• Maybe, if: you’re spending lots of money on a therapist to help you get over your absent father and want to get off on someone else having a relatively much worse time than you did
Comments: I don’t mind low-budget. I mean, my top film for the year so far – “Sideways” – rang up for less than Spielberg’s personal allowance for Coke during the making of “War of the Worlds”. But “Sideways” looks like it was meant to begin its descent to cable from a cinema theatre. This film doesn’t. It looks Channel 4.
Is this because I'm from Britain, a place where the sun never shines for more than ten minutes and people's teeth are uneven and have a yellowish-brown tinge? Is it that only America's endless sun and perfect teeth can make a film look big-screen? I don't think so. "The Full Monty" and "Billy Elliot" both hail from dank, tea-stained Britain but still looked at home where the seats cost ten bucks a pop. "Dear Frankie" somehow does not.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: ****
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: ****
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: the story premise is great. I had one of those wish-I’d-thought-of-that-first moments. No complaints – it’s a really cool idea. And having started like that, the film twists and morphs into something even better. Yes, this is an original, telling idea pretty well developed.
But the film has problems. Its main one is it’s hard-up for antagonists. They are either hollow or absent (either dramatically, factually – or both).
The unpleasant little git Frankie – played by Jack McElhone – chooses to pal up with digs his poisoned daggers in at opportune moments for no apparent reason then goes away again. Something was missing here.
You could argue with the ending, too, though it worked for me.
Dialogue comments: if you couldn’t follow “Trainspotting” for linguistic reasons you are going to have problems here since the story takes place in Scotland with all the attendant complications for people attuned to international English.
This is a film without stars – which I personally often like. But, despite the competent – even good – delivery all round, I was troubled by the feeling that the whole thing looked just a tad out of its depth on the big screen.
Substance comments: this film has substance. A mother's love for her son. A boy's need for his father. This is all highly emotional stuff which is hardwired into our sympathies. And it's been effectively - if somewhat sneakily - utilised here.
The themes are treated emotionally rather than intellectually. This is not an erudite or clever film. It is a gush fest based on a strong idea which works pretty well but not brilliantly.
Film craft: well-shot, nicely edited and well cast, the film’s chief failing is that it has been wrongly marketed. It’s a TV drama, not a cinema experience.
A taste of the story: a deaf and mute boy writes to his absent father via a PO box. But the correspondence is not what it seems.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 250. | Spanglish /By James L. Brooks/
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Spanglish /By James L. Brooks/
Written by James L. Brooks. Directed by James L. Brooks. Starring: Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman. 130 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: Check in your mind along with your coat and hat when you come to see this film. Better still, have a lobotomy. Then sit back and gorge yourself on dramatic candyfloss and popcorn until the end credits appear.
The film has pretensions to being meaningful. It isn’t. But that’s okay, isn’t it? (I loved “Lost in Translation” which I say rocked. You can take your bearings from there.)
“Spanglish” is a corporate Big-Mac-and-fries experience. You’ll leave less satisfied than glutted, and with the nagging suspicion that you would have been better off having a salad – or, perhaps, nothing at all.
Take this film for what it is: brain candy with genuinely funny moments.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you like Adam Sandler ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
• No, if: you don’t like Adam Sandler ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
• Maybe, if: you’ve never seen an Adam Sandler film ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
Comments: the Adam Sandler mix of diffidence (the slightly spazzy older-brother thing), apparent lack of affectation, and his poor man’s noblesse oblige franchise either yanks you in or gets on your nerves.
Personally, I like it in the way I like Status Quo: one dose every two or three years is all right, but more than that is overkill.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *
Story comments: the film’s excuse for existing is a limp look at questions of cultural identity and belonging.
The tension in the film is provided by a superbly neurotic and sociopathically competitive T?a Leoni. She plays the blonde with whippet-like body tone to the brunette Paz Vega’s voluptuous curves.
I’m a curves man, so my loyalties were pretty much a given.
Dialogue comments: Cloris Leachman (who plays the alcoholic mother) imbues her lines with an energy, humour and pathos sufficient to pull the film over onto the verge of excellent drama for as long as she occupies the screen.
If you go, go for Cloris.
Substance comments: “Spanglish” is based on the notion that America – and here I mean the super-rich White America which makes up all of two percent of the total – is an earthly paradise to which all right-thinking third-worldlings naturally aspire.
Having been accepted at the high table of the ruling elite, broken the language barrier, and mastered their ruthless and soulless (but totally necessary) education system, you will realise how lucky are to have started life scratching a living from some dustbowl thousands of miles away. It’s your cultural inheritance and you lose it at your peril.
Again, I am lost by the American need to confess sexual indiscretion to one’s partner as a way of making it all right. For me, it’s not a plot point. It’s a futile exercise in inflicting needless suffering on your wife, children and – to some lesser degree – yourself.
Film craft comments: functional.
A taste of the story: a young, pretty Mexican girl and her young, incredibly pretty Mexican mother (Paz Vega) leave a life of idyllic perfection in Mexico for the bright lights of assorted US minimum-wage sweatshops.
Though she knows no English whatsoever, this voluptuous Hispanic beauty is invited by a plain-looking rich woman with obvious and severe marital problems (T?a Leoni) to keep house for her.
Thereafter, the key question is: can Adam Sandler – the plain-looking woman’s husband – resist the obvious imperative to do to the voluptuous Hispanic beauty what the rest of male America would like him to?
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 251. | Nowhere to Go but Up aka Happy End
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Nowhere to Go but Up aka Happy End
35mm
America Cinema
By Robert Lees
“Nowhere to go but up”, is director Amos Kollek’s first attempt at a romantic comedy and is a blatant money making exercise which hopes to cash in on the current popularity of French actress Audrey Tautou.
The story is simple: an aspiring foreign actress comes to America to make it big. She balances numerous of menial jobs while trying to fit in casting sessions and auditions. She encounters Jack, a screenwriter who is suffering from writer’s block. He watches her from a distance as she sleeps rough in his garden and writes a film about her. She gets the part in his film, becomes a star and then they fall in love. It has all the ingredients of a successful romantic comedy; a good story line and star actors, but somehow it manages to go badly wrong
The choice of Tautou in the role of Val Chipzik, an idealised French actress trying desperately to get her big break in Hollywood, is understandable. In the 2001 French hit film Amelie, she played the romantic waitress who tried to make other people’s dreams come true and in her English language debut “Dirty Pretty Things”, she played an immigrant trying to make it in a foreign culture. However in “Nowhere to go but up”, Tautou fails to live to the promise of her earlier films.
Even though “Nowhere to go but up” is a comedy it has to be plausible enough to get the audience to believe in it. At times it is too far fetched to be credible. As beautiful as Audrey Tautou undoubtedly is, it is unlikely that she would look that good if she really did sleep rough on the streets. Secondly when was the last time a successful Hollywood writer did his washing in a public laundrette? Do they not sell washing machines in the USA anymore?
There are a few mildly amusing scenes and the odd funny joke but there is nothing that makes the audience laugh out loud. Justin Theroux puts in a relatively good performance as Jack, the screenwriter, but is let down by some woeful dialogue and hammy acting on the part of Tautou.
Tautou however cannot carry all the blame for the failure of the film. The writers and casting directors must take some responsibility. The film is littered with a whole plethora of mediocre and clich?d characters played out with little conviction by a cast who realise that the film is little more than a vehicle for it leading actress.
In the supporting roles Jennifer Tilley cannot quite pull off the ridiculous part of Edna the lesbian ex convict poet. The same can also be said of Jenna Lamia whose performance as the slightly dopey wannabe actress, Sparkle, would have looked out of place in a school nativity play.
The Only Way is Up is a contemporary reworking of the 1961 hit, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. However this latest offering fails to rekindle the magic of the original. Where Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard had an alluring on-screen chemistry, Audrey Tatou and her co-star, Justin Theroux are entirely unconvincing. The earlier had a fast paced and witty script whereas the latter is unnatural and entirely predictable.
It really only succeeds in highlighting the limitations of its lead actress, Audrey Tautou. The success of the whole film ultimately rests on her and she is incapable of carrying it off. Her lack of comic talent is cruelly exposed. Where she was quirky in Amelie and so natural in Dirty pretty things, she appears wooden and forced in this latest effort.
If she wants to shed her ‘Amelie’ tag, Audrey Tatou will have to move away from these cloyingly sweet roles and until she loses her strong French accent she will be limited to playing immigrant roles. “Nowhere to go but up” is not one of her better films and if an entertaining romantic comedy is the order of the day, then it is best left alone. |
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| 252. | Plaid
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Plaid
I was a bit too young for the first explosion of rave culture in the UK – the 1988 “Summer of Love” saw pre-occupied with school homework – but managed to make it to uni in time for the dawn of IDM. It was the era of Autechre, Aphex Twin and lesser lights like Sabres of Paradise on the one hand, grinding away with abrasive beats. Up against them came the ambient noodlings of Future Sound of London, Orbital and the Orb, techno hippies with a waft of organic sound and spacey effects enlivening the techno mix. Driving full tilt across a night-time industrial landscape with “Lifeforms” blasting from the stereo was something of a theme of my late teens. Somewhere between the two extremes, the likes of enigmatic English duo Plaid emerged. They returned last month with a new album which they brought to Moscow on their first visit in a decade.
The major problem with IDM, though, has always been transferring the carefully structured studio work into a satisfying live show. Back in the day, at the Megadog events which toured Britain’s universities in a bid to recreate the anarchy of raving in a field without the inconvenience of trudging out of town, the emphasis was on filling a large hangar-like space with a crowd of intoxicated youngsters (some of whom, dare I say, may have been under the influence of illegal narcotics), ramping up the volume to 11 and supplying a chill-out corner for when the pounding and banging on the main stage all got too much. It worked, just about, because there was a sense of occasion, of communality and enough contrast to keep you going until dawn. Recreating that vibe on a smaller scale, however, is a big challenge.
Plaid’s approach is not one which is destined to make megastars out of Andy Turner and Ed Handley. The pair keep a low profile on stage, hunched over laptop (Apple, naturally – the world’s biggest multinational corporation stands distinctively for creativity as opposed to the tyrannous monotony imposed by, err, other, err, smaller multinationals) and mixing desk to trigger the next waves of beats and samples. Audience interaction was as minimalist as the staging, and our ocular pleasure was attended to by the screens at the back of the stage. When the Pet Shop Boys performed like this in 1986 it was still witty to quip about men twiddling their knobs in public; in 2011 we’re not at school anymore and electro performance has evolved beyond this, surely. In effect, we were witnessing a soundtrack without the film, or having the background music without the activity.
This works fine when the music is good enough: nobody would regard a great symphony orchestra as a visual feast, but it doesn’t stop their concerts being thrilling. But here again there’s an awkward impasse. The nature of electronic music is that even when it is being created live – all those sequences are being activated in real time – it still sounds pre-recorded. The added frisson of hearing something created anew, with all the inherent risk of an artist pushing his talent to the limit, is somehow absent. And then there is the problem with the current Plaid tour – it’s limited to the recent release of “Scintilla”, a somewhat unfocused and underwhelming return to the studio after some years of soundtrack work. While there are great moments – the opening “Missing” works well, and was nicely matched to footage of an underwater fantasia which complemented the weightless menace of the music – the overall effect is underpowered. The music is neither crunchy enough to shake the audience, nor dreamy enough to chill us out. There was conspicuously little dancing going on for much of the set as well, which did little to add to the visual distractions on offer.
It’s difficult to be too critical of the band – they are undoubtedly very good at what they do – but somehow it was even more difficult to leave feeling I’d seen a real show. For devotees, of whom there are apparently plenty, it was a kind of homecoming: a chance to catch their heroes in person for the first time in far too long. But for the unconverted, this was not the place to thrill to a new favorite band. |
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| 253. | The Met: Anna Boleyn live in HD
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The Met: Anna Boleyn live in HD
Going to the cinema to watch an opera might seem a somewhat unlikely activity, especially here in Moscow where top-notch live performances are not exactly thin on the ground. But the city’s first experiments with screenings from New York’s Met Opera suggest the idea could be a big hit. Admittedly, opening night was something of a nailed-on crowd-pleaser. The latest golden girl of Russian opera, Anna Netrebko, taking on the title role in Donizetti’s Anna Boleyn, was always going to appeal to audiences starved of opportunities to hear one of their own perform on the local stage (pops recitals at Dom Muzyki, usually at exorbitant prices, don’t quite hit the spot for the cognoscenti). And, with a couple of other rapidly emerging singers on the playbill as well, it was little surprise that the main hall at 35mm was sold out.
Initially the experience is slightly disconcerting. Footage of a distant theatre filling up, punctuated by discreet messages from the sponsors: this isn’t quite the muted hubbub of an evening at the Bolshoi. And the audience seemed slightly unsure how to behave. From the mixture of ‘Night at the opera’ over-dressing to ‘Saturday night at the movies’ casual in the cloakrooms to a touching uncertainty over whether or not it was appropriate or ridiculous to applaud performers singing their hearts out over the ocean, it felt like most of us were learning our cues as well.
Regardless of the background, however, the show’s the thing. And the performance did not disappoint. Donizetti’s opera was his first big hit – at the 35th time of asking – and manages to wrap up the final days of ill-fated Henry VIII’s second wife in a dynamic and dramatic evening. OK, so at times the history is a bit creaky around the edges, but in effect this is from the same cultural stable as “Shakespeare in Love” – only tragic rather than comic. Nifty story-telling and some virtuoso performances make the whole thing hang together, assuming you’ve got a cast which is up to the job. And the Met has: Netrebko was always going to be the star of the show, tackling one of the most demanding roles with the kind of diva attitude that ensured she was always the focus of attention when on stage. As well as the vocal pyrotechnics demanded of a coloratura role like this, she also brought her character to life effectively – another detail of the opera-singer’s craft overlooked by those celebrity “greatest hits” recitals in international concert halls.
However, even if she took top billing, Netrebko was hardly alone in impressing. Bass-baritone Ildar Abdrazakov was a powerful Henry VIII, scowling and grimacing his way through the performance with just the right level of affronted megalomania. Yekaterina Gubanova, as the queen-in-waiting Jane Seymour, also gave a strong performance as a woman torn between her love for Henry and her loyalty to Anna, and there was much to enjoy in the ardent Richard Percy, sung by Stephen Costello.
One bonus for cinema-goers was a detailed presentation of the performance – in expat-friendly English which was easy enough to follow despite the simultaneous translation. Amid various fluffy, interval-fillings interviews with cast members there were more interesting segments about the attempts to render the costumes historically accurate. This is no easy task: representations of Henry’s court are few and far between, and most of them are head-and-shoulders portraits. Rather than tumble into the rumbustious, red-tunic regality of popular cliché, the production was largely decked out in somber tones – although historical accuracy was dampened by a chorus which represented the diversity of contemporary New York more than the rarified environment of Tudor England. But such nit-picking was swept away in a powerful performance which saw the evening fly by.
In the year that Bolshoi is set to finally re-open its main stage, some may question whether Moscow needs to import opera in this way. But the evidence of the first of the six screenings planned from the Met suggests that the answer is a resounding “yes”. After all, it’s cheaper than getting to New York … and it might just inspire people to explore the cultural thrills to be found in the city’s own theatres.
The Met: Live in HD is screened at four Moscow cinemas (and one in St. Petersburg). The next scheduled performance is on Oct. 29, with a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Details at: www.coolconnections.ru/ru/projects/project/76-metopolitan-opera-don-juan. |
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| 254. | The Interpreter
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The Interpreter
Directed by Sydney Pollack. Written by: Martin Stellman & Brian Ward (story); Charles Randolph and Scott Frank and Steven Zaillian (screenplay). Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener. 128 min. UK / USA / France.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a competently made “movie of the week” toting a feature-film budget, this political and personal drama has more mileage in it as a terrestrial TV presentation than a big-screen event.
You will need to concentrate if understanding the plot is important to you.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you liked “The Firm” – also a highly plot-driven Pollack film. Like “The Firm”, “The Interpreter” leaves you with an impression of having quite enjoyed the ride but not exactly sure where it is you’ve been
• No, if: you are an anti-globalisation activist and like to fire-bomb US embassies in your free time – there’s loads of subliminal NWO propaganda in here and if you’re alive to that sort of thing, it will get on your nerves
• Maybe, if: you are good at crosswords and like finding plot holes – you’ll have a field day here; personally, I couldn’t be bothered
Comments: what I liked about this film is that it has strong themes and the key relationship works well.
The backstory, the “politics” and the rest of what everyone’s getting hot and bothered about didn’t do it for me at all.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: **
• Film craft: ****
Story comments: if you look at the writing credits above, you will see that they use both an “and” and an ampersand (if you noticed without me mentioning it I suggest you get out more often). These two seemingly synonymous conventions have different and specific applications. “&” denotes a team working together. “And” denotes unrelated people re-doing each other’s work.
This story has one “&” and two “ands” and a total of five writers. At least three of these were getting copious notes from Sid – a majorly powerful director – and were, thus, very keen to please. Maybe the more so since you can be fired from a screenwriting project in Hollywood and not even be notified – even from one you dreamt up. The screenwriter is not an artist in American cinema. He is a service provider.
And because there were so many stakeholders in the plot, the end result – while calibrated to keep us engaged – suffers from a lack of personality.
“The Interpreter” is not badly written. It’s strong on theme and the key relationship – that of Kidman’s Silvia Broome and Penn’s Tobin Keller – worked for me. But had it not, there was not much else there to keep me interested.
If you want to keep track of the ostensible plot, get a jolly good night’s sleep first and take a notepad.
Dialogue comments: I like Sean Penn. He reminds me of myself in a really bad mood. When I watch him, I think: if I carry on frowning at people I’m going to end up looking like that. Then I try to relax my face.
But the guy can act. He makes being quietly belligerent and potentially psychotic look like the only really sensible life choice. The hard-nut shell and predisposition towards bloody and invigorating violence mark him as of Irish decent beyond reasonable doubt. But you just know there’s the wit and gentleness of a poet underneath it all, embedded in some remote crag. The interest is in watching it evolve into view. All he needs is the right occasion.
Which brings us to Kidman. Her character (Silvia Broome) is revealed by degrees, too, but her backstory was too convoluted for me to buy into. However, she delivers the package with the messianic certainty of a new cult recruit.
If she believes it, it must be true.
Substance comments: the story looks at grief, forgiveness, revenge, hope and disillusionment. Their treatment made up what, for me, were the interesting portions of the film.
All the pro-UN, pro-US isn’t-war-a-nasty-thing stuff (i.e. isn’t-war-which-the-US-doesn’t-currently-find-useful-a-nasty-thing) just grates on me. The idea that the US administration is more civilised or moral than the naughty African junta in the story is simply not borne out by reality. Try booking your next holiday in Yugoslavia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq or in any of a wide range of Central and South American countries if you want convincing.
But, clearly, none of this is an issue for many people. If it were, the English-speaking world would simply withold its taxes. And a certain amount of political indifference will be an advantage for the purposes of enjoying the film under discussion.
Film craft: this is a nicely-shot film. The composition is great. But the edit does seem to assume that we are paying a lot more attention than we probably are after a long, hot summer’s day in a stressful and complicated city.
A taste of the story: political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a US Secret Service agent (Penn) is assigned to investigate an interpreter (Kidman) who overhears an assassination plot.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 255. | Alfie
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Alfie
Directed by Charles Shyer. Written by Elaine Pope & Charles Shyer (screenplay) based on the earlier screenplay by Bill Naughton (based on his own stage play). Starring: Jude Law, Ren?e Taylor, Jane Krakowski, Jeff Harding. 103 mins. USA/UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a remake (with some alterations) of the well-known sixties’ film starring Michael Caine, “Alfie” complies with the original in that it is a cheeky-chappy narration accompanying a catalogue of seedy and unedifying sexual exploits.
The result can be viewed as an object lesson in how to become what is known by women the world over as a bastard.
Worthy though such an aspiration may appear to some, the film itself is flat, tired and dull.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you went to see “Nine Songs” despite – or even because of – my unreserved slating of it, liked what you saw, and now want to know how to get to a place where you have problems similar to those experienced by the characters in that film
• No, if: you go to see “Alfie” expecting a comedy in the sense of there being something funny to laugh at
• Maybe, if: you are considering becoming a gigolo
Comments: I go to the cinema a lot these days. I have to. But I always arrive with a sense of hope: please, please, be good. I’m ready and willing – nay, desperate – to like what I see.
Unfortunately for me, so much of what makes it to the screen is pap and, to be honest, a chore to watch. “Alfie” might be worth a watch if you’ve got nothing better to do, but it’s candy-coated dross and there’s no point pretending otherwise.
Go and see it if you really need to block out your world for an hour or so, but don’t expect to be better equipped to deal with reality when you get back.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: *
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *
Story comments: an unconscionable English dandy-cum-sponger (Law) narrates his way through a catalogue of sexual conquests.
You can choose to regard the result as either a poor attempt to illustrate the tensions between vanity, morality and commitment or a reasonably thorough how-to on getting and ditching women.
The film is heavily dependent on our getting entrenched in the envy zone (while Alfie philanders about with a number of great-looking chicks who all dote on him), before attempting to kick the football of what it would have us regard as the point into touch.
It tries to impose a three-act structure on the main protagonist’s uncoordinated flitting from one flower to another, but the result is, predictably, superficial and unconvincing.
Dialogue comments: the protagonist (Jude Law) is cheeky and charming and genetically incapable of forming any decision independently of how he feels about the latest attractive woman to enter his radar.
Law really works for me in “Gattaca”, for example. His well-fed, public-school boyish sneer is convincing and appropriate. In “Alfie”, his personal charm (and I mean here the look of a boy not only adored by his own mum, but by everyone else’s as well) works for a bit. But while it might be enough to get the girl at the tuck shop to give you free packets of crisps, it’s not a sufficient basis for an entire film.
Substance comments: I suppose the film is trying to demonstrate by overstatement the essence of the male conundrum.
To summarise: we men are hardwired to desire attractive females. But, having found an attractive female, we can find an almost infinite number of other females equally or more attractive than the one we have. Enduring societies develop structures – morals, taboos and laws – to protect themselves from the decline which would ensure if we all gave free rein to the contradictions inherent in this situation.
Alfie – unsurprisingly, given Hollywood’s almost religious commitment to demonstrations of sexual abandon – is not fussed with any of that. His approach to the conundrum is very simple: shag more women. Moreover, his inability to resolve himself on this issue is both the engine behind – and purpose of – his existence.
Men whose worldview is wholly dependent on this kind of activity become uninteresting very quickly since they are, in essence, weak. They are not heroes striving for an ideal. They are couch potatoes with dress sense.
The film intimates that it wants us to draw conclusions of a semi-tragic nature from the heap of one-night stands and broken hearts Alfie leaves in his wake. But it is not clear exactly what these conclusions are.
Ultimately, I’m inclined to think the makers themselves had only a passing idea what ideological premises were driving this project forward – the main point being to get lots of shagging in.
And since the film is not entirely sure what its point is, we can hardly be expected to have grasped it either.
Film craft comments: functional; pleasantly shot.
A taste of the story: Alfie shags lots of women. Then he shags lots more.
This gets him into trouble.
He has an epiphany through which he learns a poignant truth: it’s time to shag more women.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 256. | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason / By B. Kidron /
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Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason / By B. Kidron /
I’m not the biggest fan of chick flicks. I didn’t see the first Bridget Jones movie (“Bridget Jones’ Diary”), but counting myself as one of the many Russian-deficient cineastes in Moscow who are always starving for the next English-language movie to come out on theatres, I just had to make an exception. After all, with the sheer amount of advertising this movie received in posters, postcards, and billboards, I just had to give it a chance and find out if it was worth all the hype.
I’m very glad that I did.
It certainly was the biggest premiere that I’ve ever seen in America Cinema, one that made use of every available seat in the theatre. You can thank the massive amount of publicity of course, but you can also thank the strength of its built-in audience from the books and the first film. And besides, this movie was good, especially for a chick flick!
Set a couple of months after BJD, the movie continues to follow the life and happenings of Bridget Jones, played by Renee Zellweger. It’s a new phase in Bridget’s life, so it begins with a new entry in her celebrated diary. Having discovered true love with the man of her dreams in Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), throughout the movie she finds herself having to contend with Mark’s “high-flyer” status and social circle, all the while slowly losing the hope of him asking for her hand in marriage.
While Mark’s career as a Human Rights lawyer is quickly rising, Bridget is struggling with more degrading assignments as a TV journalist. She finds herself losing the battle in competing with Mark’s colleague Rebecca (Jacinda Barrett) for quality time, and is later sent off to Thailand to meet with Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), her former boss and boyfriend. Laughs are long and loud in the Thai scenes, especially Bridget’s first time encounter with mushrooms… Magic!
Such as how it would be in a diary, Bridget’s life seems to progress in a narrative of episodic fashion, finding herself caught in one comedic situation after another. Depending on your experience in knowing people like Bridget, these situations can either be looked at as genuinely hilarious or hilariously genuine. In the midst of laughing at her creating many embarrassing moments for herself, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her misfortune and admiration for the way that she continues to plug away, despite her many obstacles and shortcomings.
The problem with this format is that each occurrence in Bridget’s life is actually just a plot device that perpetuates the story and acts as some sort of comedic/dramatic foreshadowing. Even the least sophisticated of viewers will realize the divinely inspired purpose of Bridget’s drug bust in Bangkok, and how the subsequent events will conveniently wrap it all up in one cute package worthy of the indefatigable Bridget. The Force is strong with this one…
Plot considerations aside, the film stands well from excellent direction, soundtrack, and performances. Even with the Mushrooms Scene, the movie manages to retain its hilarity without reaching “American Pie” standards. Credit director Beeban Kidron, especially for the ease in which uninitiated viewers (like me) can easily get immersed into this special world. In addition, the soundtrack fits flawlessly, provided mainly by female artists – augmenting Bridget’s strength in her femininity.
Finally, the performances were absolutely outstanding, especially from the leads. It’s cool to see Hugh Grant relish his return as the sniveling scoundrel in Cleaver, and Firth delivers yet again another masterful performance, this time as the fastidious Mark. Ultimate honors go to Zellweger though, for playing the title character in what seems to be a role made with her in mind. Her charisma easily shines throughout while playing the plump and plucky Bridget; one can easily see what makes her so especially desirable to these men, despite her intended unattractiveness.
Bridget is a girl who’s in her mid-30’s and hopelessly in love, the type of woman that exists strictly in the fictional universe. Indeed, if there were such a thing as a Bleeding Hearts Fan Club, she would be its president. I can sense in myself that the thing I found most appealing in her character was the thought that despite her numerous failures in the realm of love and romance, her indomitable spirit allowed her to continue baring her heart and soul with each romantic affair. This might not be a novel approach in romantic comedies, but certainly one made easily believable by the writing and performance of the Bridget Jones character. I had this warm and inviting impression throughout the movie, and I couldn’t help but sport a wistful smile even after the movie finished.
I’m still not a fan of chick flicks, but you can count me in as a fan of Bridget Jones. |
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| 257. | British Sea Power
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British Sea Power
Moscow - or at least a section of Moscow's hip young things - has long been in love with the rock music of my native England. Maybe it's a subconscious throw-back to the days when learning the language with freshly smuggled Beatles discs was a subtly subversive gesture; maybe it's an abstract homage to the heady days of the early 90s when the Iron Curtain rusted in time for the golden age of Britpop, before Tony Blair's "Cool Britannia" reduced it all to propagandistic parody. Perhaps it's just a lingering symptom of having Elton John arrive as the first Western rock star to appear for a stony-faced army of politburo apparatchiks back in the grey days. Or, more likely, none of the above. Whatever the reason, the sounds of foggy Albion still carry a resonance in these parts - and even a group like British Sea Power, some way from being Blighty's biggest names, can draw a committed crowd to a Moscow venue.
The Brighton-based, Cumbrian-conceived band arrived with a reputation as one of England's best live acts, and their sound - part raucous terrace chanting, part miasma of overdriven guitars - is transformed on stage. Even a slightly sludgy sound mix - which robbed set opener "Who's in control" of any clarity - couldn't hinder the show once it got into its stride. Roared on by a word-perfect crowd of dedicated local fans enjoying the band's return to Russia after a seven-year gap, BSP rose to the challenge admirably to put in a blistering set for the opening night of Avant Fest 2011.
Unlike many touring acts, they looked genuinely pleased to be back; "Can you understand me at all?" asked Yan in a fairly broad accent of the fells. Approving cheers. "Fuckin' marvellous!" Fellow vocalist Hamilton added: "Youse are much better at clapping in time than the English." A pause. "This is not a man who gives compliments lightly - this means something," from Yan.
Musically BSP are hard to pin down. The name sounds like a diplomatic threat hanging over a 19th-century European peace conference to remind the Spanish that Gibraltar is going to continue helping Britannia rule the waves, and there's a certain wistful preoccupation with a sepia-tinted era of semi-rustification. It's almost "Dig for victory" meets "Withnail and I", with t-shirts on sale pledging "I'm a big fan of the local library". But the sound is more timeless than retro. It has a bovver-boy swagger and stomp - "easy, easy!" - allied to a shoe-gazing wall of distortion-heavy sound. But that is infused with the sort of energy that suggests My Bloody Valentine pumped full of Red Bull and amphetamines to create something which encloses the audience rather than puts them on the other side of the creative barriers.
Most of the set was drawn from the most recent album, "Valhalla Dancefloor", recorded in a bleak midwinter in a farmhouse in Sussex. Big skies and snow-covered fields infect its lyrical pre-occupations; musically the original four-piece has been expanded to six, with the permanent addition of violins and keyboards, plus the occasional bit of brass. New material was no challenge for the crowd: even "Zeus", an EP track unreleased in Russia, was immediately taken up by the download-ready locals.
But it was perhaps the older songs which really took flight. "No Lucifer" and "Flag Waving", from 2008's "Do you like Rock Music", perfectly marked the transition from concert into gig - that vital and elusive moment when the crowd stops listening and becomes part of the show. "Carry On", from the early "Decline of British Sea Power", lost its dreamy recording studio sheen to re-emerged as a brute of a live track, the original undertow overwhelmed in a mass of sound.
By the time the finale rolled around - "We're all in it" - the words became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Tomato-flinging guitarist Noble crowd surfed his way across the sweaty hordes, pausing to hoist himself onto a low-slung ceiling support as the masses bellowed the chorus, helped along by the band. Britain's naval power may have begun its decline a century ago; British Sea Power remains as buoyant as ever, no matter how unfamiliar the port in which it docks for the evening. |
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| 258. | The Skatalites
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The Skatalites
The Skatalites have influenced and incubated generations of Raggae, Ska and Rock Steady artists. The collective formed in the early sixties continues to transform itself and inspire admirers. The Skatalites latest incarnation performed at Club B2 last Thursday night.
Club B2 hosts class-acts on a regular basis (www.b2club.ru). The club is humongous but cleverly designed to almost feel cozy. Carousing the flights and secret rooms of the concert hall, one completely forgets about the activity bustling below in the Japanese Kitchen, Beer
Restaurant and Billiards.
The staff is friendly (some very), young and good-looking - much like the clientele. There was an interesting and unpretentious mix ranging from university students and tattooed types to Finnish businessmen. The most notable anomaly was a revelry of bald dudes wearing cotton button-downs and suspenders - the new fashion for true Ska enthusiasts.
Rushing into B2 off the drizzled streets of Moscow, I had to down a Johhny Walker (high in price but low in volume - standard) before hustling backstage to greet the greats. Honored to meet the masters of Ska, it was tempting to barrage them with common questions but
intuition and an attempt urged better.
Dangling unaware of occasion specific protocol, I resorted to the usual survival tactic - dilate pupils and smile. Amused, Devon James - veteran guitarist, picked up a camcorder and teased me with compliments. Thus, infused with courage, I could pose the first and most pressing question - "Who's Lloyd?" "Lloyd Knibb is sitting on the other chair." "He's an original." "He knows all the beats," they replied as he reigned silently and sure. Just then entered the other original Lloyd, Lloyd Brevett - bassist. Tall and thin with bright colors, ruby gold rings and long long dreadlocks, he was accompanied by a velvet-clad lady and the lovely Doreen Shaffer.
Forty years and still strong, I wondered how the collective could so successfully transcend space and time. "Some of us have been together since tender age." "We follow the drum beat." "All of our songs are hits." "It's Magic! When we play even the cripple – he gonna move." That last remark was made by the one and only Lester "Ska" Sterling. A charming alto earl in red shirt and black cap, he would nod off from time to time, waking up when elbowed.
Curious as to their attitude towards Babylon, I inquired if I could ask about politics. Ken Stewart - keyboardist and Bostonian, succinctly expressed his opinion on the recent US elections. But
when Lloyd Brevett proclaimed he don't have nothing to do with it, that he only care about the One Love, my written list of questions suddenly seemed even more mundane. There was only one thing to do - lean back and bask in the nuances of Patoi and Island English which swirled
around the room.
Devon James cut off the video recorder and offered a beer. "Don't go, we like your company," he chuckled. Oleg, the excellent waiter brought in a tray of exotic fruit, and before long Mr. James
and I began to reminisce about mangos, glass-bottomed boats and the pleasures of creation. As the performance hour approached, our conversation lulled to a soft alto sax merging with eager trumpet, joining Mr.Batchelor's rhythmic feet and sounds to create an impromptu jazz standard session.
Onstage, embraced by three tiers of bar and dance floor, the Skatalites brought an anticipatory audience to the fore by mixing intricate interpretations of familiar classics with famous raggae
renditions as interspersed by JAH! JAH! JAH! shoutings. Yes, it was truly sweet to indulge in the honey warm melody of "Sugar, Sugar" as sung by Ms. Shaffer. (Nothing like a tropical romance.)
Indeed, Vin Gordon, Karl "Cannonball" Bryan and the rest of the Skatalites did make us all in the concert hall, relax and move, shake, sway. "It's magic," I mused while noting the group's rich, gold tone. And then, just as if to echo that thought, the effervescent Lester "Ska" Sterling danced a happy jig while the legends launched into the night's last number. The lyrics of which flowed like this: "Oh, the stars shine above on our golden love." |
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| 259. | Piano Magic
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Piano Magic
“As you can see, there is no Piano” confessed front man Glen Johnson as the 5 curious looking members of Piano Magic took the stage. “Yeah, and where is the magic?” came the predictable reply from a heckler in the sparse crowd. It was a beginning of a rather tedious dialogue between Johnson and the heckler who was a little too pleased with his English skills to keep them to himself. Despite the distraction, Piano Magic’s five merry men, set about pulling off the most important trick of the evening – entertaining a sombre audience - and with their style-proof appearance and a powerful, moody set that is exactly what they achieved.
Combining pumped-up tracks from their thoughtful new album “Disaffected” with some older crowd-pleasers, this was a loud, precise set that did its best to overcome the wide-open spaces of the cinema venue. For an eager newcomer to Piano Magic like me, it was an enjoyable 90-minute taste of the band’s catchy lyrics and heavy guitars.
Describing the quirky group is, however, not an easy task. If Coldplay were sucked into an underground dimension and returned 10 years later, slightly heavier, a lot poorer and with a far more distinctive, genuine sound then they might do a good impression of Piano Magic. Glen Johnson is the Chris Martin style front man who produces every one of the interesting and engaging lyrics that have seen them attract some notable critical attention across Europe. Boasting such a productive writer and a changeable cast of talented musicians, it seems an injustice that this attention has not yet been converted into more consistent success. But if that mainstream success is what they crave, a little stylistic input to their stage appearance is something they really should consider.
On this occasion, Johnson appeared in a black tank-top (one of a total of three on show), white short-sleeve shirt, black trousers, black tie and hiking boots. If it hadn’t been for the 6-string around his neck, you might have thought he was about to deliver a quantum physics lecture. Flanked by a guitarist who could have come straight from the set of Walker Texas Ranger and a bassist sporting an early Beatles bob, the band provides a striking parody of the manufactured record company model.
Perhaps we can put their somewhat idiosyncratic appearance down to the predominance of one nationality. The French have a commanding three-fifths majority in the band (increasing to two-thirds when you include guest vocalist Angele David-Guillou) suggesting that Johnson might well find himself outvoted, should he try to suggest that their look takes on a bit of Anglo-Saxon uniformity.
Even so, the minority get their revenge in the music. Though they are credited with a broad range that has forced them to switch record labels for nearly every one of their productions, this set had one thing written all over it - Made in England. Light Britpop melodies, the occasional sprinkle of the Cure and drawn-out circular guitar crescendos reminiscent of Pink Floyd were all given ample airtime. Add some melancholy Joy Division lyrics and echoes of Morrisey and you could almost set your compass by Piano Magic’s firm musical origins. One subtle variation to this Englishman’s delight, the twist of lime in the Gin & Tonic, was the programming and keyboard work of Cedric Pin. The electronics never overpowered the cherished guitar flavour but added a bonus layer of sonic intrigue, particularly important as the tracks reached their climactic finales.
One disappointment I felt was that these finales did not go on for longer. To cut a track short in its prime is understandable when you are working on a CD marketed at the mainstream masses. But with a captive audience hanging on every note, it seemed a shame that Johnson, drummer Jerome Tcherneyan and fellow guitarist Franck “Texas Ranger” Alba did not continue indulging themselves with a few more minutes improvisation. Admittedly these departures from the script did occur more frequently as the gig went on, Alba taking to the drum, then playing his guitar with a wooden stick, but still I felt that the fun could have gone on. Seemingly, however, even this level of craziness became a bit too much for guitarist Alba’s delicate gallic constitution. He signed off on the gig by taking out the speaker system with a comical delirious swoon.
Though perhaps not quite inspiring the same level of emotional exhaustion in the crowd, these underrated journeymen of the European indie scene had certainly struck a chord. It was hardly magical, but for me the pianoless five-piece achieved just enough originality within a familiar genre to make it a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment. A listen to the more varied but downbeat album suggests that if you like your guitars to the fore then stick to Piano Magic’s rare live performances. |
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| 260. | Cold Mountain
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Cold Mountain
It’s the last year of the American Civil War. A confederate soldier escapes from a front line military hospital and sets off on the long walk home to Cold Mountain. Avoiding death and capture, he crosses the country and is reunited with the woman he loves. It’s as simple as that! Well…not quite. A star-studded cast, a Romanian mountain range, a story of deadly war and desperate love all blend together in an award-winning film, which proves to be as emotionally flat as it is visually breathtaking. It is love, Jim, but not as we know it…
The story evolves along two separate lines: We follow Inman (Jude Law) who after being injured in battle, deserts from the Front and struggles to make his way home. And back on the mountain we observe Ada (Nicole Kidman), the southern belle he loved but had to leave behind. Inman’s trip is both helped and hindered by the various people he meets along the way, providing us with some of the most meaningful parts of the film. Ada’s fate seems uncertain after the sudden death of her father, as she is left alone, totally unprepared for the harsh realities of rural life, proud, stubborn and useless. Farm girl Ruby (Renee Zellweger) arrives and soon has both Ada and the house in a fit state to survive the war. Their friendship becomes the only really developed relationship of the film.
Just as in ‘The English Patient’, writer/director Anthony Minghella weaves the two strands of the story using a mixture of chronological scenes and flashbacks, with a voice-over narrative taken from Ada’s letters to Inman. Although seemingly precarious at the beginning, the technique works well, serving to highlight the contrasts of the two separate fights for survival.
Another Minghella trademark to be seen in this film is his love for vast and grandiose landscapes. Set in North Carolina but shot in Romania, the film is endowed with long, wide indulgently sweeping shots of snow-capped mountains and unspoiled forests which stretch as far as the eye can see. Even the gruesome battle scenes are full of depth and scale, illustrating the awe-inspiring levels of human loss on the wide open blood-soaked battle fields.
The beauty of the scenery can be rivaled only by that of the leading lady. No matter how torn are her clothes, or how unkempt her hair, Nicole Kidman manages to grace every scene with her un-spoilable fairy-tale looks. Paired with Zellweger’s understated beauty and charm, the two leading ladies are worth watching if only for the sake of aesthetics!
For indeed unlike these women’s beauty, their acting certainly leaves something to be desired. Ada’s role requires pouting and crying which Kidman manages quite well but fails to add to, whereas Ruby’s unrefined earthiness and no-nonsense attitude seems (despite the Academy award) to be somewhat thickly laid on by Zellwegger. Jude Law’s good looks are well-hidden under a beard and some dirt, and he appears convincingly haggard by the time he reaches home. But while his acting fares better than that of the women, it is the secondary roles which really steal the show. Ray Winstone excels in his role as the evil Mr Teague; Philip Seymour Hoffman is as splendid as ever, in the part of a desperate and promiscuous priest; Finally, Nathalie Portman and Kathy Baker provide powerful performances as female characters we can actually believe in.
Despite its many encouraging factors, Cold Mountain has one major flaw: The completely unbelievable plot. Inman and Ada’s sole motivation for survival is the supposed intensity of their love for one another, despite the fact that their relationship only ever amounted to a mere few words and a hurried kiss. Who are they trying to kid? We understand that war-time romance is accelerated by the urgency of life in the face of death, but please!! 3 years?? The sickeningly gooey language used by the lovers is even mocked by another of the characters, but that does not make it any easier to bear. The success of the trip is improbable enough, but the motivation behind it is sheer nonsense.
From the start, we are drawn by the quality of the film-making and at the same time repelled by the lack of plausible action and sentiment. Regrettably, what we gain in historical understanding and social comment, we lose in the absence of basic heartfelt emotion. A great director, good acting, fantastic scenery…and a lousy plot! It’s always a shame to see a good film ruined. I don’t care how many Oscar nominations it received, Cold Mountain doesn’t reach anywhere near the heights of its potential. |
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| 261. | Assault on Precinct 13 /By J.F.Richet/
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Assault on Precinct 13 /By J.F.Richet/
Written by James De Monaco (based on the original film by John Carpenter). Directed by Jean-Francois Richet. Starring: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishbone, Maria Bello, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Byrne. 106 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: “Assault on Precinct 13” fuses dialogue-heavy psychodrama with an inventive and protracted kill-or-be-killed extravaganza. Its core theme is how we justify both our failings and our fear.
A kick-ass opening scene gives way to a slow-climb first act. Shifting allegiances and a clutch of shock twists serve to keep the wings of a punchy visceral joyride bolted to the fuselage of a convoluted plot. A couple of excellent and amusing supporting roles distract from the obvious failings of the key storyline.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: life-and-death, against-the-odds action movies do it for you.
• No, if: what you really like about Ethan Hawke is his mastery of subtext and intense personal-relationship conflict.
• Maybe, if: you can buy into the notion that Ethan Hawke, who looks as though he has been up all night re-writing the last chapter of an Existentialist novel is, in fact, a crack police officer recovering from deep personal trauma.
Comments: I am an Ethan Hawke fan. For me, his “Before Sunset” was a top film of 2004. There he brought a simple, low-budget freshness and theatrical intensity to cinema which wiped the floor with the previous half-dozen fifty-million dollar films I had seen. It demonstrated the point we all know but film executives can’t seem to grasp, which is that the story is not in the budget. It’s in the script.
“Assault on Precinct 13” is Hawke’s attempt to span the divide between his more classical (and totally cool) thespian story-based origins and a base camp on Mount Hollywood Superstar. I think we need more male actors there who, like Hawke, are visually interesting and personally magnetic but who don’t look like Catalogue Man. Whether this is the film to put him there is another question.
Laurence Fishbone, best known for his role as Morpheus in the Matrix films, was the man of the match for me. He is utterly convincing as an intelligent, ruthless and gifted Mafia boss. Personal gravitas and single-mindedness of purpose ooze from every pore. And at no point, despite the shoot-em-up nature of the film, do you think, “In a minute, Hawke’s going to have to choose between a red pill and a blue one...”
Quite an achievement in the circumstances.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: **
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: the plot defies belief. Unescorted prison buses with wanton criminals onboard sliding about in a blizzard on New Year’s eve may have been acceptable to John Carpenter’s original audience. But things have moved on since then. And Jean-Francois Richet is too good a film-maker not to know that. The only place for this kind of scene now is in a spoof. The set-ups to the main story are annoying, pointed, and clunky. You just have to grit your teeth and bear it. The way our plucky group under attack discovers it has lost all means of communication with the outside world almost made me laugh it was so clumsily done. The film’s makers clearly hoped that act two would get us so drenched in blood and power-reverses we would forget the pain of the road by which we arrived. I didn’t. But then I knew I’d have to write a review.
Dialogue comments: much of the dialogue used to shepherd us into the fold of the situation needed to get the story rolling reads more like a checklist than things people would (or should) say to each other. On the other hand, there are some great one-liners which I’m sure will make their way to a bar-room conversation near you soon.
Substance comments: the killing this film serves as a launch pad for is not entirely gratuitous. There is a point to be picked out of the blood and broken glass here. And it is this: a man is able to justify almost anything to himself if it serves the dictates of his underlying character. In the context of the fallacious justifications for certain wars in the world right now, this is a point the global English-speaking community might do well to digest.
Film craft comments: the film is well made though a bit “cutty” in places. But you don’t need to bring a sick-bag. These jolty sections are mercifully short and serve a dramatic purpose of sorts.
A taste of the story: Sergeant Jake Roenick (Hawke), a one-time top undercover cop, is now a desk officer hiding from the pain of a bad call he made eight months previously which cost his comrades their lives.
Unconvincingly, a top Mafia boss, Bishop, (Fishbone) and some assorted small-time crims find themselves banged up at the now decommissioned police precinct where Roenick and a few colleagues are celebrating New Year.
Powerful and well-armed bad guys need to take the now-captive Bishop out so he can’t testify against them in open court.
The resultant siege forces Sergeant Roenick out of his shell and back into hero mode.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
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| 262. | LO'JO Interview and Concert Review
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LO'JO Interview and Concert Review
LO'JO came to give a single concert in Moscow last Thursday. We couldn't miss such an event and sent our journalist there to share her impressions with us. Before the concert Anya Wolf went along to interview Denis Pean of LO’JO on behalf of "The Moscow Expat Site". And that's what she has found out...
AW: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. First question, what does Lo’Jo mean?
DP: Nothing.
AW: Nothing?
DP: Yes, nothing. Just a word coming from my imagination.
AW: Is this your first time in Moscow?
DP: Yes. It’s my first time in Russia.
AW: And how do you find it?
DP: It’s my first day in Moscow, because we arrived, but very late.
AW: Is it not too cold for you here?
DP: (laughs) No, not too much. It’s good for me!
AW: Have you been able to see any of the city today?
DP: Yes, a little bit. And I have a good friend in Moscow; we played with him in France a few years ago. His name is Anatoli Gerasimov, the saxophonist. He played in this place (B2) about five months ago.
AW: Will you perform anywhere else in Russia or only in Moscow?
DP: Yes, tomorrow we will go to Riga and then the day after that, St. Petersburg. When I was a teenager I dreamed of going to St. Petersburg.
AW: I’ve read that you are the ‘shaman in chief’ for Lo’Jo. You come from a catholic background though, so how did this title come about?
DP: (laughs): Yes, I’m the old one in the band, the one that gives direction, who has organised the band and the direction. Now we are a collective and we all imagine the songs together.
AW: The old one. Do you see yourself as the father of your collective?
DP: Yes!
AW: Do you consider yourself still Catholic?
DP: No, originally with my grandparents, but now no. I believe in all things.
AW: But no specific religion?
DP: No, I’m interested in all different religions, all different people, and enjoy communicating with people of all faiths.
AW: In ten years, do you still see yourself making music with Lo’Jo?
DP: I’ve been making music with Lo’Jo already twenty years, and I hope that I will still be making music with them for twenty more.
AW: What makes a band able to stay together for twenty years?
DP: Passion. Love about the way the band travels and our image in music, we fit together like family. We like to be together, to compose music together, to organise our lives together.
AW: Do you have any influences?
DP: Many. All of the things I’ve heard in my life, but sometimes we don’t know which things give influence. I’m interested in modern music, hip-hop, pop, all music coming from many centuries ago. When I was a teenager I played all music, then after I played classical music. Some of my favourite music is coming from jazz music.
AW: Any specific jazz artists or just jazz as a genre?
DP: Not all of it. Just some.
AW: As a child you studied at a music conservatory. Were you trained in just classical or all genres?
DP: Classical.
AW: Has this had any influence on Lo’Jo’s music?
DP: Yes, some part. I like Claude Debussy, etc. and the harmonies have influenced me.
AW: Are you ever influenced by places you’ve visited?
DP: Yes, we traveled many times in Africa, and we got power and magical vibes, which I like very much and which now I have in my body all these vibes. We have now this instrument from Africa, for example. The violin player from Lo’Jo is now playing this little violin coming from the Sahara, traditionally played by the nomadic people in the desert. Yamina now plays this kind of harp that’s coming from West Africa. We have many influences from playing a long time with this band, a voodoo band coming from Benin.
AW: So do you think you’ll be inspired by Russia?
DP: Sure, of course! The trip is short, but after this we will tour in Great Britain for one month. But we hope to come back here.
AW: Does it bother you to be traveling so much? Do you have a family at home waiting for you?
DP: No. My family is the band, my wife is music, and my father is sound.
AW: As far as venues, do you prefer to play clubs, or concert halls, or festivals?
DP: I don’t like crowds so much; I like to be close to the people. This kind of place (B2) is good. It depends also on the quality of the sound. If we have good sound, and a good crowd, then it’s all good.
AW: If you had only one word to describe your music, what would it be?
DP: (long pause) Harmony. Because you can find harmony in music, and in life and relationships too.
AW: The last question I have for you, Denis, is if you were not making music, what would you be doing?
DP: Ah I’m interested in many things. Education for children. That I can do with music. Sometimes I work in jails with young people and teach them about music and poetry. All education for children is important, in this modern world, we need education to continue on.
AW: Agreed. Merci, Denis, and I look forward to the show tonight!
And here what it was like:
Before the show, I had the pleasure of interviewing Denis Pean, the founder and shaman-in-chief of Lo'Jo, who carries the vibes of the entire planet in his small frame. From the moment we sat down, I could feel that this is a man with 10.000 melodies in his mind, who has the unique gift of taking the songs of the world and channeling all of them into one amazing harmony. The crowd at B2 was diverse, and while it wasn’t a packed house, the crowd very easily and quickly began feeling the vibe of Lo'Jo.
To try to contain Lo'Jo within a genre is impossible, because Lo'Jo IS a genre. This isn’t the kind of music that you would put on as background noise, as from the opening notes, Lo'Jo takes you by the shoulders and demands all of your attention. The talented sextet plays a dizzying array of synthesized and acoustic instruments that they have acquired from all four corners of the world. Lo'Jo’s beat is unusual and infectious; it’s impossible not to tap your toes or move to the rhythm. Denis has a uniquely melodic voice which, combined with sisters Yamina and Nadia on backing vocals, makes for songs that will long stay in your mind. Although they sing in Arabic, French, and English, Lo'Jo’s music transcends any language and nationality. The two-hour performance went by too quickly for me, and even after two encores, I found myself wanting more.
Lo'Jo as a band is not for everyone, but there is something in their music that everyone can get into. In their songs, it’s easy to pick out strains of rap, hip-hop, Arabian, classical, funk, jazz, and African, but it’s Lo'Jo’s unique ability to combine these very different genres that have enabled them to be a French tour de force for 20 years. Although this trip to Russia (they are also performing in Riga and St. Petersburg) is short, they will most certainly be back. Kudos to B2 for their continuing ability to find the best of world music and bring it to Moscow.
More background info and tour dates for Lo'Jo can be found on their website, www.lojo.org |
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| 263. | Lolita /By R.Schedrin/
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Lolita /By R.Schedrin/
One inevitably wonders about the reasoning behind turning one of the C20th’s most infamous novellas into an opera? Would it be for the baffling interplay between the supposed narrator, Humbert Humbert, and his self-created persona in his own story? Would it be to explore the interpersonal relationships in a bizarre love-triangle involving a man, plus a mother and daughter? Or would it, more unfortunately, be a rather cynically prurient ploy to sell seats to a modern opera if the music alone won’t drag them in? The jury may be out, but I strongly feel the last has validity – the real issues in this “Lolita” go unexplored.
Nabokov’s narrator warns us, at the very opening of the novel, that he is a liar, and that nothing he says can be trusted. He instances his abilities in lying and deception before the story starts, so that we are in doubt of capabilities he boasts from his childhood onwards. This, of course, should inform any half-intelligent reader that the narrator is capable not only of lying to the other characters – he may also be lying to us? In fact, we only have his word for it that any of the events occur. Perhaps he’s a paedophile fantasist? There’s a potent theory that the whole book is a game of cat-and-mouse between narrator and reader, not a whodunnit so much as a did-he-do-any-of-it-at-all? The omission of this ambiguity in Schedrin’s operatic version – which takes every word of the novella as unambiguous truth – is the fatal flaw in this ambitious and lengthy work. For example, when the mother finds Humbert’s love-letters to her own daughter, she flies into a rage – a difficulty for Humbert’s seductions which is conveniently solved, in the novella, when she “accidentally” falls under a car when crossing the road at his side. Humbert, of course, never specifically tells us that he pushed her? But he has told us that he is a liar, and that we must never trust what we says. Yet in the opera she is run-down whilst Humbert is at home indoors, and a flunkey (Humbert has a flunkey? How?) arrives with the bad news – at which Humbert weeps with emotion undisplayed in the book. To state so categorically that he’s not guilty of a murder he very likely committed, and to change the scene to not only remove his opportunity for the killing but also provide him with an alibi (the flunkey who can testify to his whereabouts) sabotages the storyline entirely.
Schedrin finds the defendant definitively “not guilty”. Whereas Act II should properly have the frenetic road-movie pace of a post-killing spree of booze and under-age sex, the musical pace doesn’t change – Act II seems monotonously long, and the audience was obviously restive. There’s one volume, one texture, one instrumentation from start to end, and there is only so long this can hold interest. Even an audience almost entirely composed from Musical Moscow’s literati were obviously fed-up, and most were busy fleeing the theatre as soon as the final beat fell. The sex, of course, is only barely hinted-at – it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the novel to imagine it is full of sex. There’s far more sex in Lady Macbeth Of Mtensk or Le Grand Macabre. Although Lolita is not really a Russian story at all (it was written in English, when Nabokov had already moved to America, and is entirely set in the USA) this is a peculiarly Russian view of it. This one-soundworld-fits-all approach is a pity, since the atonal murk of Act One sits well as a background for the emotional exploitation and psychological machinations of the action. Sadly, it is entirely inappropriate for the adrenalin buzz of Act Two, and rather than finding any forward pace, tails off into self-indulgent and eminently cuttable perorations that serve the action poorly.
In the title role, Tatiana Kuinji excels. Nominated for a Golden Mask (she already took one for Lulu in 2002) this is a titanic performance on every level. The acting is so perfect as the early-teens Lolita that you hardly notice her effortless stunning singing – she hops, and bounces barefoot, squeals and pouts with frightening accuracy. But this is also singing to die for, as is the careful and superbly-achieved performance of Alexander Agapov as Humbert. “Quilty” is set for a high tenorino, and Sergey Vlasov coped admirably with the punishing tessitura. Tatiana Kaminskaya made a three-dimensional character out of the underparted role of Lolita’s mother.
Valery Platonov directed in the pit, working tenaciously to wring interest from a largely featureless score of dull harmonic clusters. To throw so much energy into such unrewarding material seems a terrible waste. Nevertheless, the musical preparation of the score was magnificent, even if it largely went unappreciated (except, perhaps, by the composer, who was present for the performance - along with his more famous wife, the legendary ballerina Maya Plesetskaya).
The production is entirely new for the Perm Opera – a troupe which acquired the nickname The Opera Laboratory of the Country in the Soviet era. Lolita was first heard in a production for the Swedish National Opera, who staged it in 1992 with Liv Gustafson in the title role. This elegant and striking production has been devised by Perm Opera’s artistic director, Georgi Isaakian, and designed by Elena Solovyeva. Isaakian directs the action well, and nobly follows the composer’s intentions as best he can. Sadly, the flaws in the piece are in-built, and in the unlikely event that this piece stays in the repertoire, it will need some extensive musical cuts in Act II, optimally some reorchestration to relieve the desperate textural tedium, and a stage-director willing and able to reintroduce essential plotline details of the original story. As it is, Schedrin should thank his lucky stars that his interests were served by a richly talented cast, a superb leading lady, and a production which distracted the audience from a score that’s more worthy than worthwhile.
Lolita is nominated for the Golden Mask Awards (Russia’s national awards for Music and Theatre achievement) – the results will be announced on April 12. |
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| 264. | Avant Festival 2011
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Avant Festival 2011
Very occasionally even the most jaded of gig-goers hears something which harks back to that mysterious ground zero and recalls the day when music leapt beyond the Top 40 and became something which mattered. These mini-epiphanies can happen anywhere, but the more unlikely the venue, the more powerful the resonance. And so, towards the end of Asobi Seksu's Saturday night headline slot, a cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain's "Never Understand" suddenly transported this reviewer back to a formative teenage trip to a converted ice rink for an evening of feedback-driven, shoe-gazing noise.
The New York band, fronted by diminuitive Japanese singer Yuki Chikudate had already shown a good grasp of My Bloody Valentine-based guitar overdrive. Throw in some slightly ethereal vocals - at times it was unclear whether the lyrics were in English, Japanese or some hybrid of the two - and you get a striking soundscape which is perhaps three parts solid indie to one part Bjork-inflected otherness. And the Mary Chain cover somehow brought the whole set full circle.
It was the first time Asobi Seksu (the name loosely translates as 'playful sex') had ventured into Russia, and claiming a 17-hour journey (from New York? did they come by seagull?) they had to tackle jetlag and a smattering of culture shock. But, rising to the challenge admirably, the only thing which gave them cause for alarm was the ever-present tide of 'pukh' drifting across the outdoor stage. "What is this stuff? I can hardly breathe up here!" protested Chikudate in between diligently practicing her 'spasibos' for an indulgent crowd.
The contrast with Sunday's headliner, Chinawoman, could hardly have been greater. Set up by Canada's Michelle as a YouTube hobby band, it's basically a one-girl show. But from the moment she came on stage, toting a retro radio set like a character from a St. Etienne B-side we were embraced by a set which resembled more of late-night cabaret recital than a bill-topping festival slot. While critics have likened Chinawoman's debut album to a Velvet Underground-related faded grandeur, the on-stage effect is closer to a sequence of contemporary torch songs. Along the way, Moscow audiences might be forgive for hearing a hint of Alla Pugacheva in full 70s balladeering bombast: Michelle is a child of Russian emigrants, and some of the old songs made the trans-Atlantic trip along with Mama and Papa. Performing in Russia for the first time, she enjoyed a good reception, but the set perhaps ran out of steam a little too early.
The same couldn't be said of Finland's On Volcano, a female-fronted pop-rock outfit which could be one killer hook away from becoming the next Blondie. Their current crop of songs has the same cruel cool that Ms Harry and the boys used to tout back in the day, with all the benefits of an updated sound that leaves the 70s behind. Most of the components are in place, and once they stumble upon that truly memorable, can't-get-it-out-of-your-head chorus, this volcano is set to well and truly erupt.
Beyond the headliners, one of the great thrills of any festival is unearthing something new and unexpected - and Avant Fest provided three diverse treats from the ranks of hopefuls on the undercard. And the good news is they are all fairly regular visitors to Moscow, and are likely to be back again in the foreseeable future.
From Belarus, a land not noted for its fine pop sensibilities, Kassiopeia don clownish fancy dress for an adult fantasia of lewdly perverse lyrics supported by strangely memorable keyboard-heavy riffs. From the reggae-inflected "Yesli" to the catchy "Kinzhal", with its shout-along chorus, their Sunday afternoon set marked the point where the crowd's attention switched from beer to stage. Vocalist Ilya Cherepko-Samokhvalov was back later on Sunday evening with his rockier Petlya Pristrastiya, but it was Kassiopeia who made the greater impact.
Petersburg, long regarded as the spiritual home of all that's interesting in Russian rock, kept up that reputation with two diverse but fascinating shows. Surtsey Sounds, with a name evoking a volcano, combine a post-rock ensemble with a classical string trio to great effect: imagine the likes of Alexei Aigi's 4'33" shackled to the likes of 65daysofstatic and you're getting there. From a slow start this music builds and builds to a shattering conclusion of overwhelming sound, like an ocean storm refusing to blow itself out.
And the northern capital's other star contributor, Chikiss, is another slow-burning. Female singer-songwriters tend to get alligned into a narrow set of stereotypes: either kooky Tori Amos late, strident Kristin Hersh-alikes or self-consciously weird Nordic types prone to inexplicable bouts of incoherent shreiking. Chikiss, despite a piano which points alarmingly towards Amos, avoids the worst excesses of all three, delivering tight, well-constructed songs which burn slowly but powerfully, like a conversation accompanied by autumn rains blowing against a twilit window.
Eight years in, and now with a permanent home in the Artplay na Yauze complex, Avant Fest is going from strength to strength. This year's edition, kicked off with a blistering set from British Sea Power, maintains the happy tradition of combining the best of the local alternative scene (the real one, not the version that A1 TV pretends is alternative) with a well-chosen selection of international acts which are committed to making music which is interesting rather than commercial. The crowd - perhaps a bit self-conscious in their hip-ness to begin with - lapped it up; bring on Avant 2012! |
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| 265. | Nouvelle Vague
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Nouvelle Vague
“New wave was our first culture, our first influence,” Marc Collin, the co-founder of Nouvelle Vague, told me on Saturday, while he casually picked away at his dinner. “Everyone is taking the 80’s – with the same sound,” he said, lamenting the character of the recent return to the culture and music of the 80s, “we are more interested in taking a new perspective.” Playing to a large crowd Saturday night at Keks, the group showed that this passion for the new was not enough to make new fans take the voyage back through time.
When I sat down with Marc before the show to discuss Nouvelle Vague, I was interested in finding out why he started the group in the first place, and how it would develop in the future. What I got was an inspirational description of his project. “It started with a dream,” he said, recounting his original fantasy of a bossa nova singer on the beach in Rio, singing his favorite new wave classics. He and Olivier Libaux worked from a mutual love of new wave and bossa nova, and a desire to tread new ground. I asked Collin to comment on the need for new music. “For a while, it [the catalyst for musical innovation] was the equipment – the synthesizer, the wah-pedal. Now people might say that everything has been done – not true.” Citing Bjork, among others, he argued that the expansions of electronic and computerized techniques have greatly expanded what can be done with music in the studio. “Now there is a crisis of creativity,” said Collin, “we want to show people that one can do great punk/new wave songs – that musical genius existed in punk music.” Thus the two sought to reap innovative new pop from the edgy songs of the early 80s.
With their hearts set on a return to their youth, these two found a number of young female French vocalists (who weren’t familiar with the originals), and began to craft their re-interpretations. “We worked from memory,” said Collin. “We didn’t re-listen to clips [of the originals].” Viewing bossa nova as “the most beautiful music to accompany a melody,” Collin and Libaux set out to travel (with their young French female escorts). “[to produce our eponymous album] was to take a voyage through time and space. It is great to think of a song written in Manchester in ’79 – during the crisis – and sung in Rio.” The link between the two is not the violent rejection that characterized punk music, but the melancholy and sadness that underlie both genres. At one point citing Baudelaire, Collin attributed the group’s success with fans who aren’t familiar with their roots to the emotions that the songs convey: “If we’ve succeeded it’s because we have returned fans to the melancholic side of these songs.”
While Collin and Libaux may have begun the project, it was their two female vocalists who led the band in their live performance on Saturday. When Nouvelle Vague filed on stage amidst the recorded chirping of birds and crickets, I was prepared to go on a voyage to the beaches of Brazil. The show, however, was not so transportive. With Libaux on the acoustic guitar and Collin playing keyboards and synthesizers, the set began with one of the rhythmic and sparse chord progressions familiar to bossa nova. By the second song, however, the energy level began to rise, perhaps driven by the aggression – the key to punk’s return to the spirit of rock and roll – Collin had mentioned briefly in the interview. Doubtless more controllable with studio equipment, the energy of the music attained neither the relaxed melancholy bossa nova, nor the raging punk sadness that originally inspired the arrangements. By the time one of the vocalists began belting the chorus of the Dead Kennedy’s “Too drunk to f^ck,” I began wondering if the group had maybe put a little too much on its itinerary.
Dressed in white dresses and boots, the leading ladies – Marina Celeste and Loralei – sang, danced, harmonized and thanked the crowd between songs (in English and Russian), while the silent, demure men in black sat behind them. The two women’s voices were at either end of the musical spectrum over which the concert passed: Marina, with a softer and more timid voice, took the lead on the slower songs; Loralei’s more raspy, edge, and at times off key voice, pointed straight towards rock and roll. Though they did little to blend, the two women were magnets for the crowd’s attention. While committed fans sang along and praised the ladies between sets, their compatriots in the back of the club seemed more interested in conversing with their friends. The excited front women led the group through a set that included, among others, “I just can’t get enough,” “Guns off Brixton,” “(This is not) A love song,” “Friday night, Saturday morning,” and the encore bonus, Divo’s “Mongoloid.” They had some success: their most vocal fans even continued singing their last song after the finished their second encore. For me, however, Collin’s romantic self-description was turned on edge: the performance didn’t show where the band came from or where it was going, it was just confused.
At the end of their set Marina gave a final thanks to the crowd: “Merci, Thank you. Spacebo. That’s Marc, that’s Olivier.” While she and Loralei were the faces of the band, they remained nameless throughout the concert: I only found out through asking Marina after the concert. In fact, the lack of connection between Marina and Loralei, and Marc and Olivier, made me wonder whether they were really a band at all. The style of the two front women leading the band on stage seemed to rely more on an insinuation of an extended flirtation than their desire to produce anything musically innovative. Without ever coming together as a band, the group’s musical performance ranged from garage rock to wedding cover band; melancholy, maybe, but without much Rio. While their new album (due out in September) will doubtless offer a much more controlled, produced sound, their live show failed to show the melodic ‘genius’ of the post punk/new wave era. Though at times the audience benefited from the melodic delivery of a guitar or keyboard lick, or a pleasing harmony, their show quickly became a spectacle. In this way, however, it was great fun.
Keks itself is an ironic club/lounge. Decorated as an homage piece to 1950s Americana, it is plastered with black and white pictures of housewives and sweater-vested Wasps. With a ‘70s-era Shaft film playing in the balcony upstairs, and specially-dressed women distributing free martini-and-juice cocktails, and Kent cigarette paraphernalia (are you ready to be social and meet people tonight? Take a white bracelet!), Keks was a fantasy destination of its own. Rather than a beach in Rio, then, I laughed and danced to the Nouvelle Vague. When I spoke to Collin before the show, I asked him to define pop music. “Pop?” he said, “at its base there is someone who writes a song, who wants to share it with others… it is someone who wants to share an idea or emotion with others… in three minutes.” He went on to trace its lineage through the middle ages. Though their concept is certainly a novelty, Collin and Libaux are hardly tambourine-wielding bards. Certainly then, from their overwhelming desire to share the music of their youth with others – refracted through the prism of their imagination – the band put on a fantastic show. Or, rather, the show was an attempt to share their fantasy. For 300 Rbs, some die-hard fans might have made it all the way to Rio; I never left Keks. |
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| 266. | Saint Etienne
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Saint Etienne
“It felt like we were on a polar expedition,” Brit-Popper Pete Wiggs joked about his band’s pre-gig-snow-beset trek to Red Square. “It took us more than an hour to walk there from our hotel,” front woman Sarah Cracknell lamented. But Thursday’s blizzard was exactly the reception which the trio had hoped for from Moscow: “We expected [Moscow] to be colder than we’ve been in our lives,” added Bob Stanley. Stanley, Wiggs and Cracknell are Saint Etienne, veterans of British pop, who after stripping off sweaters and long underwear, rather effortlessly heated up Moscow’ B2 on Thursday night. The group brought their feel-good mix of electronic dance music, driving vocals and rock and roll to a packed house of fans. It was the band’s first trip to Moscow, likely scouting the scene in preparation for an album-release tour this summer: “People tell us we’re popular [in Russia],” Wiggs said in an interview on Thursday, “we’re waiting to find out.”
Founded in 1990 by sonophilic-nerds Stanley and Wiggs, the London based Saint Etienne early became a fixture of the mod dance-pop scene. After adding vocalist Sarah Cracknell in 1991, the group released a number of charting single (including the concert features “Only love can break your heart” and “Nothing can stop us”) and a string of albums. Fifteen years into it the group exudes a relaxed charm: “We don’t see each other every day like some bands,” Stanley explained – “I suppose we come from similar backgrounds, we like the same things – the same stupid jokes,” added Cracknell, explaining the group’s congenial dynamic. The band’s market success initially came from Stanley and Wiggs’ insider-knowledge (Stanley began his career in music as a critic) but it is doubtless their easy to digest pop sound that draws in new listeners single after single and keeps cult fans coming back: The 90s saw a number of fans-only releases and the group is once again gaining exposure with a recently released compilation.
Before the start of the show, a B2 DJ adorned the air as Thursday night socialites filed into the venue, on the fourth floor of the club and took up a position on the dance floor or one of the raised VIP sections on either side of it. The stage, set for a full band, featured the line of Korg, Yamaha and Roland keyboards and synthesizers familiar to the indy-pop scene. Another prominent element, the film screen at the back of the stage – sandwiched between two colorful Chesterfield cigarette lights – featured an Alain Delon film (at the band’s request, according to their tour manager). As fans mulled about, ordered drinks from the bar and met up with friends, many were very obviously excited about such a popular group making their Russian debut. As one Anglophone expat said: “I wasn’t going to come out tonight, but I can’t miss out on a great band like this one.”
The great band, if asked, might ironically describe itself as “unstoppable” (Cracknell) or comment that “they’ve done it again” (Wiggs). The continuity of their pop-savvy style, indeed, is exactly what keeps them on the successful edge of fame. Not claiming to have “invented something new,” and though feeling “disconnected from the new-music scene,” Stanley does recommend a few up and coming acts (The Magic Numbers, The Concretes, The Streets) with whom the band has played. While contemporary groups influence the band’s sound, Saint Etienne’s particular brand of backwards-looking-forwards-motion gives their pop an endearing appeal. With the sixties as their decade of choice – “We like the look of the sixties – it looks great to have been our age in the sixties” (Cracknell) – the group shares a love of the “innovative pop of the sixties and seventies” that forms the basis of their style. With their predilection for the image-conscious mainstream of yesteryear, the band mixes their love for black and white cinema of the sixties and the Supremes with their talent at synthesized remixes of those decades. Their ‘unstoppable’ success at reinterpreting, releasing and re-releasing old material (both their own and others’) is part of a self described process of “deconstructing and recreating” that is made to produce their high-gloss-low-budget retro-mod image. Says Stanley, “we’re sexy.” Sexy is exactly the kind of catchword that sticks to a group like Saint Etienne. And where, pray-tell, does the sex stop and the music begin? As Cracknell says with a smile, “When the lights go out.”
A little after midnight, Saint Etienne took the stage, announced in black and white on the screen at their backs. They started their performance with “Action” and continued through “Shower Scene,” before taking a moment to thank the crowd, with Cracknell mustering a timid “spa-sea-bow.” The sartorial Cracknell, sporting a pink sequined top and tight red pants, led the group with the throaty vocals of a fifteen-year veteran of the music industry, her seductive dance moves prompting arms of fans to be thrown into the air with pleasure. The less image savvy (read: more indy) remainder (harmonist, drums, three keyboards, and bass and rhythm guitars) melted into the background while the simple verse-chorus vocals-driven songs and bright spotlights brought Cracknell out into the house. “Side Streets,” the first new song in their set (to be featured in their upcoming album-release), pleased the crowd with its gimmicky chorus and bubblegum-pop sound. The remainder of their set, 15 songs in all, neither challenged nor bored. The songs ranged from the classic “Only love can break your heart,” complete with must-have indy-pop vibraphone, to the new and funky “You can count on me,” a cutesy juvenile dance song with Cracknell counting in English, French and Spanish over a driving bass beat. Their upbeat set continued through “Nothing can stop us now” with the chorus “I’ve never felt so good/I’ve never felt so strong” and “Good thing” (soon to be another single) with the chorus “You know it was a good thing/it was the best thing” sung in front of a sixties-era black and white of rather frantic dancers. These easily delivered lyrics, to a background of ironically retro film clips showed just what kind of pop-innovation Saint Etienne envisioned. The trio seem to prefer reconstruction to deconstruction, sixties pop that would rather be 1955 than 1968.
Concertgoers ranged in style from business casual to would-be hipsters and were mostly young (Wiggs complains that the club scene is “going snotty”). Most present, however, were die-hard fans, who sang along with Cracknell’s vocals, gave flowers, danced and waved their arms in ecstasy. The band liked the venue, with Wiggs commenting that the club offered, “good sound – [and adding that] people look good.” Certainly, then, the show was a success. Saint Etienne offered an up-tempo set of sunshine-filled indy-pop to a crowd of Moscow’s finest. All present were eager for the fun of a throbbing synthesized retro remix that promised unstoppable black and white optimism. Nothing and no one stood in the way of the trio delivering their unique variety of sugar-coated sexy fun to the very warm reception offered by B2’s patrons. Said Wiggs, “we try and give people the holy shiver.” Blizzard or no, for 700 rubles, Saint Etienne did just that. |
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| 267. | Finding Neverland
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Finding Neverland
By Ryan Macalino:
The story of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland have fascinated many in the last 100 years, and have gone through numerous revivals and revisits. “Finding Neverland” gives us another angle from which to view this story, one through the eyes of its creator, Sir J.M. Barrie. Based on a play by Allan Knee, the movie begins with the words ‘Inspired by True Events’, thus immediately suggesting to the audience to treat this as a biography – a magical one at that.
The setting is London of a little over a century ago, in 1903 where a theatre is set to show Barrie’s (Johnny Depp) new play. Already a well-known playwright by this time, Barrie is nervous at the sight of so many ‘serious faces’ in the crowd, sensing that they will not be satisfied with this new production. After disastrous results, his friend and theatrical impresario Charles (Dustin Hoffman) implores him to produce something new that will satiate the appetite of his more sophisticated audience.
Barrie thus retreats to his typical leisurely walk through Kensington Gardens, where he falls upon a newfound source of inspiration. On what becomes a serendipitous occasion, he makes the acquaintance of recently-widowed Sylvia (Kate Winslet), the mother of the brothers Davies – the kids who would later be immortalized as Barrie’s inspiration for Peter Pan’s followers, the Lost Boys.
The innocence of the Davies brothers and the strength of their imagination awaken something latent within Barrie. To the delight of the ailing Sylvia, Barrie immediately befriends them, providing the fuel for his imminent creation in taking writing breaks amidst games of make-believe with the children. Among them, he develops a special affinity to Peter (Freddie Highmore), who seems wary of Barrie’s intentions, suspecting him of trying to replace his deceased dad.
“Finding Neverland” has three main dynamics which would have an effect on the creation of Barrie’s Peter Pan: his relationship with his wife (Radha Mitchell) versus his newfound kindred spirit in Sylvia, the meddling of others into his connection with the Davies family, and most importantly, his interaction with his Peter. In effect, Peter seems to be Barrie’s opposite – whereas Barrie relishes in the innocence of never-ending childhood, Peter seems to have abandoned this, instead wanting to be treated seriously like an adult.
Adapted for the screen by David Magee, the surprisingly modern script focuses primarily on Barrie and the motivation for his opus. Magee’s Oscar-nominated adaptation is mature, and wisely avoids any nuances of what could easily be Hollywood fodder in exploring either an adulterous or pederastic subplot in Barrie’s life story. In addition, Marc Foster’s masterful direction allows us to see this story unfold with what seems to be Barrie’s special, self-contained way of seeing the world – his ‘Neverland’. Reminiscent of the literary works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Paulo Coelho, Barrie’s life seems to have reality and magic intertwined, but not merely as a source of escapism but also of inspiration.
Barrie’s life story also benefits from the actor portraying him, in another stellar turn from Johnny Depp. While the rest of the cast delivers, Depp shows that he is deserving of his Oscar nomination. His performance is extraordinary; once again he proves his range and the care he puts into his craft. He imbues Barrie with a gentleness that makes the whole story believable, and carries Magee’s script with the proper sensibility. Add to this his flawless Scottish accent, and he becomes Barrie.
Unsurprisingly, “Finding Neverland” is billed as somewhat of a ‘feel good movie’. And while the elements are in place to make it as such, some viewers might not agree after seeing an all-too-real final scene. This is understandable, as it is still the filmmakers’ responsibility to wrap this biography as neatly as possible, without taking too many liberties with the script. This does not at all take anything away from the pure brilliance of this film, and if anything it adds to it. In effect, by movie’s end, we are reminded of the life’s beauty through its fragility, and the importance of unlocking one’s imagination – one’s own Neverland.
16.02.05
By Sara Sly:
Despite Johnny Depp's charisma and qualifying good looks, the actor's true appeal lies in his clever choice of roles. The essence of each human creature Depp plays shines through a blank slate of body and movement while a fantastical ambience whirls about them both - actor and character.
Perhaps Depp's choices reflect something quixotic in his personality. Edward Scissorhands, Ichabod Crane, Raoul Duke of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Captain Jack Sparrow, George Jung of Blow, Dean Corson of The Ninth Gate - all radiate a defiance not only against particular asphyxiating environments, but against the mentality allowing surroundings and societies to smother beauty. When watching Depp be these characters, do we not sense their disdain for the mundane and accompany them in retreat from the vulgar into a realm of ethereal morality?
In Finding Neverland Johnny Depp is James M. Barrie, the Scottish playwright who created “Peter Pan”. Barrie is an extraordinarily imaginative man whose contrast to those about is well marked. Everyone around him speaks in muted high society English whilst his lilted tongue sticks out. His social pattern does not quite conform to the respectable. When his wife turns a house cold and distant, he retreats to a room of glowing ambrosia. Down on his luck in the realm of public applause, he must begin to dig deep for redeeming inspiration.
Having sat in search on his customary park-bench, he hears a noise from beneath. It is the murmuring of someone’s little brother imprisoned for being just that – a little brother. That afternoon, Barrie makes the acquaintance of Peter, Jack. George and Michael Davies with their mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. The developing relationship between the six protagonists is delicate and dreamy. The boys are caught in the crux of child and adulthood, Sylvia suffers from a terminal chest cold and Barrie must deal (not deal) with a deteriorating home situation. However, together they manage to find warmth and caring elsewhere lost. Floating in the little world they make, the children gain a male role model, Sylvia finds a friend, and Sir James Barrie discovers “Peter Pan.”
“Peter Pan” taps into a theme of eternal appeal. It isn’t only a story about growing up, it’s also an admonition to retain a touch of innocence and fiercely guard that flashing imagination even as an adult. In Finding Neverland, this message is twice as deep. Not only do we recall the spirit of the play itself, we watch as Barrie and the Davies form their own difficult reality into one more beautiful and tender. Although no one can resist the sound of adventure, lofty passions, and noble deeds, most people can’t actually run off and follow the horn. What people CAN do, however, is learn to use imagination and kindness to create inner worlds of dear friends and family that illuminate melancholy or tragic environs. They can do this successfully even despite severe disapproval from society.
In sum, I advance the proposition that Johnny Depp is aware of the importance of fancy as a weapon in the war against the absurdities of over-realism. I bet the role of Sir James Matthew Barrie appealed to his sense of hallucination and he likes the misfit glow underlying the film flow. I also move that Depp likes producing messages rich with colorful mischief and glimmers of altruism. That and/or he is a cunning image businessman who knows that people will never tire of purchasing products that seduce the imagination. You see, the consummate public seducer knows that no one can resist the lure of promise and vicarious escape from triviality. Con artist, politician, and rock star types for example, remake themselves into the embodiment of an heightened reality, a place where people can join them to have it all, defend the fatherland, or sing well. Well, who knows what Johnny Depp is up to. I prefer to believe that he has a lovely soul and refined sensibilities. What you believe is up to you. |
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| 268. | Offered
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Profsoyznaya ul., 116, korp. 1
Fully furnished apartment 5 min work from the metro (Belyaevo or Kon’kovo-south of orange line). Max for 3 people or one family with children. You can come for a room tour. Photos will be provided at request. We speak English. |
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| 269. | Offered
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Tokmakov per., 16/1
Simple, basic Art and free space, 20 sq.m for flexible use 24h/7, right et the center of Moscow. English, French, Russian friendly. It has basic ' fascilitues: but good for individual projects, art storage place- commertial. Only with your own ' Wi-Fi high band system! @ There is All important for 24h ' in use), but no kitchen! |
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