Moscow expat Life - Issue 6 - Spring 2014 by Moscow expat Life

SPRING 2014

www.Moscowexpatlife.ru

ity The French Commun in Moscow

What is Happening to the Rouble? Latest Visas News Why Russians Don’t Smile

Lis

au tin ran

Flying Bananas Children’s Show

INDEX Community:

3. Book Review 5. Auski Plunge 6. IWC Bazarre 8. MPC Ball 10. BBC Christmas Party and January event 12. IWC Professional ladies evening 13-25. French Community Section 26. American ballet dancers in Russia 28. Flying Bananas 32. Artist Christine Otsver 33. BIS event 34. Social Movers 35. Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

Culture:

36. The Pushkin Museum

Travel:

Business

41. Visas 44. Financial Planning For The Young 46. Danish Business Day 48. Chris Weafer

Hotels

50. Lotte Hotel

Fashion

54. Cleaning up your wardrobe

Moscow Personalities 56. Michael Craig 58. Rob Van Ronkel 60. Brigadier General Peter Zwack

Repat

63. Sergei Markov

SPRING 2014

38. Train to Solovki

Health

65. US Dental Care 66. Nikolskaya Health Club

Retro

68. 1993 71. 1993, Frederickovich

Food

72. Culinaryon 74. Moscow Good Food Club 78-87. Bars, cafes and restaurants listings

Social

76. Marriage with a Foreigner (1): Russian Women’s Point of View

Essential Information 88-96

Editor’s Letter

friend of mine who has been living here for a long time told me that living in Russia is a bit like his marriage. “For years after the initial head-over-heels in love situation, I was convinced that I was listening to my wife, but in fact only at the end of the tenth year did we realise that our understanding of the same words and concepts was completely different.” He said. “We discovered, by accident one day, that we were talking different languages. The process of acclimatisation began, of living with another human being who is completely different from me. Towards the end of the second decade we realised that actually our likes and dislikes are fairly similar and that, strangely enough, we actually like each other, and do not particularly want to live anywhere else, or apart from one another. We are still together, just.” The build up to the Olympics gave our colleagues around the world a wonderful opportunity to criticise almost everything! It became an opportunity to be taken up with great glee, and caused much amusement for all involved. But this is only the latest episode in a long story of blow and counter blow, and both sides will continue this process of acclimatisation. The ability to stop and really look at what happens to people living in a different culture and try to grasp the real meaning of even the simple things is a difficult thing to do, especially now, but that is what Moscow expat Life is all about. There is too much in this issue to mention even the highlights, I only wish you a good year, and hope that we are still communicating in a year’s time, in language that we can both understand!

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Book Review

Why Russians Don’t Smile, A Guide to Doing Business in Russia & CIS, by Luc Jones

uc Jones has been living and working in Russia for over a decade, and has travelled extensively around the country. His hands-on experience comes across on every page of this book. Working hard for Antal since 2002, he has had the opportunity to communicate with a large number of newbies, and it is for these people, and for those who are planning to come here that ‘Why Russians don’t smile’ has been written. The book categorises foreigners into corporate expats ‘Corp-pats’, russified expats (Russpats) and Russians who return to Russia. Luc clearly has his sights on the first group. Exposing some of those stereotypes about Russia, stereotypes which don’t ever seem to go away, is perhaps one of Luc’s biggest achievement, however a vast amount of practical information from getting a taxi to approaching top Russian executives is packed into this handy publication.

This is not intended to be a book which explains the reasons why Russians are the way they are, or why business etiquette can be bewildering at first. The author commented that a lot more than 160 pages would be needed to do that. Yet Luc does attempt to tackle difficult themes such as the concept of ‘trailing spouses’ and corruption. The lack of in-depth historical context leaves those of us who have been here a while asking for more. Nevertheless, the book achieves its aim, by at least taking note of the major issues, and thus providing the reader with the ability to navigate round problems. We approve this book, and congratulate the author.

New

UK Consulate Procedures

he Consular Section of the British Embassy has changed its rules. You can no longer just walk in to hand over documents or collect your new passport etc. You must now make an appointment, or you will not be allowed in! The website for the on-line appointments is www. RussiaConsular.clickbook.net

Colophon Publisher:

Kim Waddoup, kim@aigroup.ru

Editor:

John Harrison, editor@moscowexpatlife.ru

Sales:

Anastasia Sukhov, Business Development Manager anastasia@moscowexpatlife.ru

Designer:

Julia Nozdracheva, designer@moscowexpatlife.ru

Researchers: Anastasia Soldatova Aleksandra Markova Alena Kizimova Natalia Alexandrovna

Administration: Alina Kurpas Liliya Islamova Kristina Bikteeva

Contributors: Olga Samsonova, Gabriel Kozulan, Helen Borodin, David Morley, Julia Popova, Natalia Gurova, Zack Degaris, Ian Lyut, Brian Johnson, Chris Weafer, Ria James-Van Dijk, Dominica Harrison

Editorial Address: 3rd Frunzenskaya 5, Bldg 1, Office 1 119270 Moscow, Russia Tel +7 495 777 2577 www.MoscowExpatLife.ru info@moscowexpatlife.ru

Moscow expat Life is very popular and copies of our magazine go fast. Order your copy on-line and have it delivered to your door. www.MoscowExpatLife.ru

Свидетельство о регистрации СМИ ПИ № ТУ50-01602 от 15 января 2013 г. Выдано Управлением Федеральной службы по надзору в сфере связи, информационных технологий по Москве и Московской области Учредитель: ООО «Эй Ай Груп» Главный редактор: Джон Харрисон № 6, выход журнала 01.03.2014 Тираж: 30 000 экз. Цена свободная. Для аудитории: 16+

Moscow expat Life occasionally uses material we believe has been placed in the public domain. Sometimes it is not possible to identify and contact the copyright owner. If you claim ownership of something we have published, we will be pleased to make a proper acknowledgement.

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THE AUSSIE COLD PLUNGE MAKES A HUGE SPLASH!

r f David Merce o y s e rt u o c s Photo pnya & Svetlana Ste

aturday, 1st of February saw Auski, in association with the Australian Cultural Center in Moscow staging their 4th annual Aussie Cold Plunge for the homeless. For those of you wondering ‘What on earth is a Cold Plunge?’ allow me to explain. It’s an event that was started in 2011, where Aussies and Kiwis side by side with expats from around the world, brave the frigid waters to help Moscow’s destitute. Statistically speaking, it is estimated that an average of 30 homeless people perish monthly during the cold winter months in Moscow. Therefore, it’s a great opportunity for expats to get involved and make a difference in a city that has given them so much.

The Cold Plunge is quickly gaining notoriety. In fact, this year Mark Howard, a sports presenter from Australia’s Network 10 traveled all the way from Australia to participate. He was on his way to Sochi, to report on the Olympics, however, when he heard about the opportunity to help out, he decided to contribute. This year, the Cold Plunge site at Serebryaniy Bor was embellished with Australian flags, red kangaroos and scented with the mouth watering aroma of Australian beef patties and sausages sizzling on BBQ grills. Thanks to Meat & Livestock Australia, Australian Trade House, Australian Beef Eater BBQ grills and Meat & Wine catering, all swimmers and volunteers were provided with free Hotdogs and Hamburgers as well as free hot drinks. As a result, the Cold Plunge raised US$11,000 to make the conditions for the homeless a little better this year. The Australian community is becoming quite active in Moscow; their intention is to give back to a country that they have grown to love. The Aussie Cold Plunge is just one of many Australian events that take place in the city. So if you are an expat living in Russia and would like to get involved in their various events, you can contact Gabriel at the Australian Cultural Center on: gabriel@auscc.ru. He will be more than happy to introduce you to all the events that you can participate in throughout the year.

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IWC

Winter Bazaar

Breaks a New Fundraising Record

ith help from over 60 embassies, the International Women’s Club of Moscow (IWC) organised its 25th annual Winter Bazaar at the Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel in Moscow on November 30. IWC President, Ms Izabella Zajączkowska, is very proud to announce that 2013 produced a record fund raising effort: “In total a record profit of 7,300,000 roubles was raised, a fantastic contribution for the charity projects supported and monitored by the IWC. This year embassies exceeded all expectations with the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Japan, Denmark, Slovakia and Ireland as the top 10 contributors.” “Thanks to the generous donations of numerous sponsors, all raffle tickets sold out quickly, contributing an impressive 400,000 roubles to the overall profit, another Winter Bazaar fund raising record. We would also like to express our gratitude to all companies that supported their embassy’s stand, and especially to GlavUpDK for their ongoing valuable partnership.” “The overall atmosphere of friendship and solidarity also inspired visitors: the winner of a large flat screen TV in the raffle generously donated it to Speransky Children’s Hospital.” Over the past 25 years, the number of supporters and visitors has grown steadily and this unique concept of “Christmas shopping from around the world” currently

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attracts around 4,000 people. With distinctive gifts from all continents, a rich cultural program, festive food and authentic culinary delicacies, the IWC creates a wonderful international experience. The variety of people, both expats and locals, adds to the international flavour. The Winter Bazaar is a major contributor to the IWCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fund raising efforts. This year, for its 35th anniversary, the IWC is planning many more events to support those in need. The next event, the annual Embassies of the World Dinner and Ball will take place on Saturday March 1st, 2014, at Hotel Metropol in Moscow.

Community

MPC Charity Ball

a Helen Borodin

When I hear the words ‘charity ball’, I can’t help but think of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara from ‘Gone with the wind’, waltzing in her black dress with Rhett Battler at the dance held to support the Confederate States at the beginning of the American Civil War. Good causes change and vary, and charity balls remain a favourite fund raiser tradition around the world. You, dear reader, might easily be one of those who attended the 6th annual Harvest Ball at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Tverskaya held by MPC Social services November 2013 (or one of those that took place in the previous years). If that’s the case – thank you. You’ve helped a good cause.

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The Ball The first charity ball was held by MPC Social Services in the fall of 2008 at Lotte Hotel, starting a tradition which has continued for six years, having become a favourite with the community and every time yielding a considerable ‘harvest’ which helps pay so many costs of MPC Social Services programs.

The Good Cause The Rev Matthew Laferty from the state of Ohio was appointed Chaplain of Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy and Director of MPC Social Services almost three years ago, thus taking over a church that has existed since 1962 and a charity organization started by the congregation of that church in 1991. He seems quite pleased with the results of the charity work that has been done, as he sums up and looks forward to the new projects within the framework of MPC Social Services’ activity. “Back in 1962, Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy was started to meet the spiritual needs of the employees of the American Embassy. An important part of the Christian faith traditions represented in MPC is to help those less fortunate than ourselves through social service. During the times of the Soviet Union, due to restrictions on the church’s activity, it was not possible to engage in that. The doors opened only in 1991. The congregation noticed that Moscow pensioners had very little savings,

and sometimes they didn’t receive pensions for several months. The church decided to help them by opening up soup kitchens. By the mid-nineties there were soup kitchens in different parts of the city, serving up to 2500 meals every day”, he told me. As a Russian citizen who was growing up in the 1990s, I can testify: those were indeed very hard times. But today, they are history. Do programs like soup kitchens make any sense today? “We believe they do. Most of the pensioners live by themselves. For them, it’s also about community and friendship.” This is very true. The people who come for their lunches to one of the MGU canteens, where MPC social services rent the kitchen and the dining hall, have formed a circle of friends, where everybody looks out for each other. However, there’s also a material point to continuing the soup kitchens – both for those helping and for those being helped. “Many pensioners with serious health issues are using a large part of their pension to pay for medication and medical services. It squeezes out a lot of their income”, – the Rev Laferty says as he goes on with his story. Of course, today the number of meals is smaller – only about 150 a day. “The soup kitchen is an expensive program to run – we have to rent space and hire cooks. We also have a food bank program and the Children’s Hunger Assistance program to help Russian

families, political refugees, and the biracial families living in poverty.” MPC Social Services have also become an answer to many needs of immigrants, students and refugees from Africa and Asia. As they make this brave move of coming to a country so unlike their own, the most crucial things are staying healthy, being safe and warm, and making friends. “We have a medical advice program for the immigrants providing free access to Russian doctors. There’s also a place for them to come during the day, with tea, internet and language instruction available. There’s also ‘Racial Task Force,’ started in 2001, against racially motivated violence and harassment. Every six months we provide a report of all the cases we come across. Every summer, we do a party for refugee children with arts and crafts, games, and clowns.” None of the good work would be possible if not for the input of the employees and volunteers. Who are they? They are, as a famous Michael Jackson song goes, ‘The World’ – Russian, American, African, European. “They are highly educated, motivated people, willing to take risks,” – the Rev Laferty sums up as he gives an overall characteristic of the people giving their time and energy to activities that make a difference in the worlds of the elderly, the children and the foreigners who come to seek shelter, encouragement and support to MPC Social Services in their times of need and hardship.

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he British Business Club in Russia held the grand finale event of 2013 to round off a busy year with the Christmas drinks party at the Marriott Aurora Hotel in central Moscow. A crowd of over 200 members and guests turned out to enjoy the culinary extravaganza laid on by General Manager, Bert Fol, and his team. The highlight of the evening was the auction of the Olympic torch generously donated by

Svetlana Guzeeva who had carried the Olympic flame on a run in the Tyumen region on the previous day. The proceeds from the auction, won by Richard Magda, Vice President of Sales at Work Service / Prologics Group, were donated to the Taganka Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fund. News of upcoming club events and activities as well as photo galleries can be found at www. britishclub.ru.

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The BBC January event was held together with the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce at Papaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Grill A good time was had by one and all

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IWC

Professional Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evening

For news of further such events, please write to: iwcgeneralofficer@gmail.com

he first IWC Professional Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evening took place on the 20th of November at the Chelsea Gastro Pub, and was packed out. Ms Pieternel Boogard, Managing Director at ING welcomed guests.

The French in Moscow

Community “Perception is the most important thing for the development of economic relations...”

John Harris Interview by

Pavel Chinsky General director of the Franco-Russian chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFr). What is the CCIFR? The French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is aimed at developing economic cooperation between Russia and France. On one hand, we help and support the French business community in Moscow and all of Russia, and on the other we promote France as the right place for Russian investments, especially for Russian companies willing to expand in Europe or acquire new technologies and competencies. We organise a large variety of different events for our members to meet each other, such as sector committees, business presentations, B2B meetings, cultural events. This enables small businesses to meet big companies, for consulting firms to meet those who need their services, and so on. For example, Leroy Merlin can meet and negotiate with potential suppliers during the sessions of our Retail Committee… We wish to make it possible for Auchan to meet with a farmer

from Krasnodar who grows really fantastic apples, and of course, I as a common Auchan customer want to be able to find the best products there. We organise several networking events such as dinners for the General Directors of our members’ companies, conferences and seminars on themes which can help our members to ‘feel the new trends and foresee future ones’. One important part of our work is devoted to organising meetings with Russian officials as well as delegations to the regions, where our members present their projects to governors and regional ministers. We regularly publish success stories about these delegations to show how effective they are. We also welcome French officials to Russia and organise meetings with our members, in order for the French community in Russia to express its views and wishes. This is very important for us. For example, we received President François Hollande in February 2013 and our Prime

Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault just a couple of months ago. The President of the Chamber and I participate in different business events and forums in Russia, where we present our ideas on how local authorities should improve their business environment in order to convince French investors to choose their territories. Another purpose of our association is to provide our members with specific, say ‘technical’ services, such as Russian and French business language lessons or delivery of work permits for foreign employees as fast as possible. I can say from my experience that in several cases, the rapidity of such services was crucial to fulfil serious business tasks. And also, a great part of our work is aimed at lobbying the interests of our members amongst Russian and French authorities. This concerns not only business matters, but also visas, an issue which is quite important for our Russian friends.

Community How do you help French companies to enter the Russian market?

“...We have grown accustomed to 7% growth over the past decade, then it came down to 4% and now it is 1.5%, but that is not so bad in comparison to Western Europe. “ We are 100% private and work on the basis of the annual fees paid by our members.

How was the association formed? There are over 100 French Chambers of Commerce and Industry throughout the world. The first one was created in Uruguay at the end of the 19th century. They do not receive any public subsidies and are not under any kind of government supervision. We help each other, and I often meet with my colleagues from London, Berlin, Madrid, which enables us to exchange ideas and information with each other. The CCIFR was created as a private initiative by a dozen French companies in 1997, just a century after the one in Uruguay (smiling) and one year before the crisis in Russia. At the time, it was called the Club France. When I started working for it in 2007, my goal was to transform it into a business association and to work more intensively with Russian associations and companies as well as with the French authorities.

You said that it is privately financed, how does that work? We present a ‘menu’ of services for companies to choose from, and they select which membership category fits them the best. Obviously, a small company and a huge international group such as Total need different services. But at the same time a mediumsized Russian consulting company – for example Skif Consulting – can choose to be a ‘Member of Honour’ just like the Rosbank/ Société Générale Group. We have 8 different categories with different fees, and I hope they can satisfy everybody’s needs. Of course, I am open to any new ideas, demands and wishes.

Are you able to do everything that you want to do, or do you suffer from a lack of financial support? It is a national character: French people always complain! (laughing) We develop facilities and programmes with the budget that we have. Nowadays, our budget allows us to organise many delegations to the Russian provinces as well as Russian delegations to France. The Chamber has 30 full-time employees. Nowadays, our association counts more than 400 member companies, mainly French, but 30% of them are Russian and we also have several German and American companies.

We consider ourselves to be a door to Russia. When a company is interested in the Russian market, the easiest thing to do is to Google ‘Russia’ and find the contacts of Russian companies. There certainly is plenty of information on the Internet, but it is we and not the Internet that can tell you what is possible and what is not, which Russian regions to choose, if you can find a niche in this market and where to start. Newcomers usually find us through different ways, for example through the regional chambers of commerce in France. Many companies come across our name in newspapers and some through other unidentified sources. And starting from February 2014, our think-tank, the Observatoire franco-russe, will start a programme which – I am sure – will expand the number of newcomers: a series of conferences in the French regions on the economic situation and the business environment in Russia. Local companies will be able to ask all the questions they want on ‘scary Russia’. Because it really is the lack of knowledge on Russia that is the main obstacle for the development of a wider cooperation.

What about helping Russian companies who want to export to France? It’s not so much about exporting: unfortunately, oil and gas doesn’t go through us (laughing)! Over the past decade, Russians have been investing in real estate in France, on the Riviera and in Paris for example, and only recently they started to invest in French companies. Russian companies do not export so many goods these days, but they create joint ventures with French companies who have technology to share or to sell, with the aim of setting up production facilities in

Community France or to import technology and organize production in Russia. We know quite a lot of such successful cases. In December, the CCIFR held its Ceremony of Awards: the Russian company Progresstech received an award for their investment in France, as they opened an office in Toulouse and will work on aviation and engineering consulting.

Over the last 5 years have you noticed relations between Russian authorities and French businesses are getting better or worse? Once again, the French people would say it’s complicated, the expenses are growing, bureaucracy is still strong… This complaining is typical of our national character, but it doesn’t reflect the reality. In fact, relations are cyclical. There are periods of very-very close dialogue, such as the FranceRussia Year in 2010, during which more than 400 cultural events were organised. We realised then that cultural events can be quite interesting for business also. The new French government which was elected two years ago did not know Russia as well as the previous one, but experience showed that there is a number of pragmatic people working for the current government. The visit of French President François Hollande in February 2013 resulted in the signature of contracts. Then Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault came and again, several agreements were signed. So it is like a new cycle… France is actually the third largest direct investor in Russia after Germany and Sweden, of course if we leave aside countries such as Cyprus. But we seek to do even better.

A lot of business associations have difficulty in distinguishing between business and culture when compiling agendas for their events. How do you handle this issue?

We always try to do cultural events as well as business events. It’s quite interesting to note that it is our Russian partners who insist the most on the cultural aspect. There are many cultural programmes that we have been involved in, for example we helped to sign the agreement to create the first permanent Russian exhibition at the Louvre. All cultural programs help to modify people’s perceptions of Russia, because we all know what is associated with the word Russia when you pronounce it in Paris or in London. And Russian businessmen see that through culture they can not only make the image of Russia more positive but also develop business more effectively. Actually, when I am asked about the main problems that we face working here in Russia, I see that the problem of perception is even worse than the problem of bureaucracy. EY did a very interesting study, asking companies from all over the world: what is your attitude to business in Russia, will you carry on? 85% of foreigners working in Russia said ‘yes’, we are investing and will carry on investing. But the same proportion of companies when asked about Russia in their home countries, said that they would never invest in Russia because of the usual stereotype issues. It is still not easy for business people to get visas to see for themselves what Russia is like, so the concepts live on. We hear from French CEOs here that it is sometimes quite difficult for them to shake their management in Paris to get the green light for a particular project. This is one of the reasons why we created the Economic Council of French and Russian companies in 2009. On the one hand, to work on a local level, and on the other to have direct access to the headquarters of these companies and give them our point of view on the situation here. Certain perceptions about doing business in France also exist, and they prevent some

Russians from doing business in France. People do not like to be told that they are wrong, even if the reality is contrary and Paris wins the first place among all European capitals as ‘the most attractive city to invest…’ So the perception is the most important and influencing thing.

What is your gut feeling about how things are going to go in Russia over the next year or two? Well, right now, we are all waiting for the benefits of the Olympic Games. We are waiting to see which lessons the Russian authorities will retain, and how it will change or not change its policies. I think that this is a very significant event for Russia. If we talk globally, the Russian economy is in better health than European economies. We have grown accustomed to 7% growth over the past decade, then it came down to 4% and now it is 1.5%, but that is not so bad in comparison to Western Europe. In the short term, the issues are about developing infrastructures, emphasis on Siberia and Far East, about social issues, but let’s wait until after the Olympics.

Do you personally like living here? I was born here, but I was raised in France, now I have returned to my roots. During the Soviet Union, when people left they left forever. Now leaving is not called emigration, it’s just migration. So maybe I will go back to France in 5, 10 or 20 years; it’s not so complicated. I have a lot of friends, relatives and family members both here and there. I can choose where to live and work in that place where I can be most effective. I must say that Russia is an amazing place, and it is the only place in the world where French and other foreign business communities work together in relative harmony. You have to come to Russia to see that.

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CCIFr Winter Gala Evening ‘Lights Of The Big City’ at the Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow

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Caroline Galliaerde, General Director Russia/CIS, Brainpower What is the main difference between French and Russian Business Cultures? I would say that the main difference is in the system of management. Russian business culture corresponds to Russian culture, that is, the way of management is much more vertical, based on the directives of one person who is the leader. French and western business culture in general is more based on sharing opinions, and the responsibilities of the leader are a bit more distributed than in Russia.

What are the main differences that you have noticed in terms of living here? I could write a book about this, but in a nutshell I would say that for French, what we eat and drink plays a more important role. But I have to say that the gap has started to decrease, with the opening of better restaurants here. Our country is comparatively small; in three or four hours you can get to the sea, or to the Alps to a skiing hut. Living in Moscow is actually not that bad, especially in the winter, when you can go skating and skate boarding which is great for the children.

Is it important for a French business person to live in Russia in order to understand the way of doing things here? I think it is important that he or she has at least lived in Russia. It is important to understand Russian culture and the way of doing things here. If he or she knows how to deal with Russians, that’s OK, even if you are not living here all the time. I know some people who are living in Paris and working here as well. Then it is a matter of personal timetables, because there is a three-hour time difference, and the flight is about four hours. You can do it, but how long can you keep that up for? Now, with the Internet it is not necessary to be here all the time if you have a good team here, it is more about personal preferences. But I am not sure about commuting as a viable option if you have never lived here at all, because somehow you need to feel the country.

What do you love and hate about Russia? I hate the traffic, though I have the feeling that it is improving. One of the worst things used to be

going to be the airport by car, but now we have the airport express trains, everything has changed. I try and arrange my client meetings in the mornings, when the traffic is lighter. This is the first year when I have felt just how short the days are here in winter. I think that Russians are becoming much more friendly. I love the snow in winter here, it makes me feel that I’m in the mountains; it’s a very refreshing feeling. It makes Moscow feel like it’s a small village, and gives it a fairy-tale atmosphere.

Where do you go in Moscow when you want to be reminded of France? One of the French restaurants, such as the café Jean-Jacques, which prepares good French food, and there is another great restaurant called café Michelle, close to Metro Barrikadnaya. The chef there has really tried to master French cooking and the prices are reasonable. The owner spends a lot of time in France, and his daughter is French. I like the large parks in Moscow, we don’t have such large parks with snow and skating rinks in Paris.

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Arnaud Benoit, Director, AOS Studley Inov’office What is the main difference between French and Russian Business Cultures? Very often, French people think that they understand business in Russia like they understand business in France. But in Russia, business is a new thing. French business culture is very specific but it is made up of many archaic and traditional aspects and also sometimes modern practices. In Russia, there are just two ways; the Soviet system where you have a chief who doesn’t work and the rest of the staff who do the job, and secondly, the young business people who work hard, in the mornings, right through to night, during the weekends. This is the main difference. The legislation which we have in France can be taken as a good thing or a bad thing, but the freedom that the young business person has here is incredible. We can see here people under 30 who have amassed fortunes, and it is through their hard work not because they have been given it.

What are the main differences that you have noticed in terms of living here? My feeling about living here can be summed up in a few words: Everything can change tomorrow. Because of the weather, because of the politics, because of whatever. You have to be ready to change your mind at a moment’s notice. In France and Europe you can prepare for the next week or the next ten years, but here there is a continual evolution of anything and everything. This is not same thing as living in a cosy Parisian suburb and taking an administrative job.

Is it important for a French business person to live in Russia in order to understand the way of doing things here? Yes it is. The new Russia has only existed for 23 years and is not really mature, and if you want to make business here, first, it is crucial to live here and secondly, it is very important in Russia to work within the law. It is complicated, but once you step outside of it, you lose the ability to fight if a problem should come up. You have to live here, work with Russians to fully understand this.

What do you love and hate about Russia? I love, in the capacity of my real estate job to be able to evaluate buildings; to have the chance to enter into Pasternak’s house in Peredelkino, and other historical buildings in Moscow. At the same time I see the most incredibly horrible buildings. I invite you to have a look at the old blue mansion at the corner of Abrikosovsky pereulok and Pagodinskaya street (close to Novodivitchy). Incredible! Always in Russia you have the best and the worst. The very rich and the very poor.

Where do you go in Moscow when you want to be reminded of France? I go to 5 different shops to feed my family on Saturday. For meat I go to Globus Gourmet; for fish (or oysters for my wife) to ‘La Maree’ on Volgograsky; for bread ‘Volkonsky’ on Moraseika and for all other French specific food items, to ‘Cash & Carry’ on Krasnaya Presnya. As far as restaurants go, I liked Carre Blanc, before it shut down but the one that hasn’t changed for the past 18 years, and has consistently good food and service is Scandinavia on Pushkinskaya.

Community Is it important for a French business person to live in Russia in order to understand the way of doing things here?

What is the main difference between French and Russian Business Cultures? Definitely you find a lot of energy in the Russia, with young people improvising and becoming businessmen or entrepreneurs, implementing new ideas and projects they import from abroad. Young managers are eager for success and making money quickly. It’s a pity that we have lost this energy in France, where people are looking forward to securing their jobs in a very competitive market, in the context of crisis, and are obsessed by the quality of life.

What are the main differences that you have noticed in terms of living here? There aren’t really that many differences. The active generation in both countries enjoys restaurants and bars, cinemas and theatres, exhibitions and concerts... Maybe it’s more about a lifestyle in France, while in Russia it’s about showing off your status to yourself and your friends... You know, in a cool place with a nice lady and a bottle of wine, we French and Russians are all the same!

There is no other choice if you want your stay and career here to make sense. Now you can work in Russia like in any other country. There are big corporations here, you follow procedures, speak English to your team, etc. It’s another story if your job is to deal with Russian partners, speaking the language, traveling to the regions and being challenged everyday in this huge country with such a

strong identity! Drinking vodka is not enough! You must also enjoy the Russian banya!

Where do you go in Moscow when you want to be reminded of France? I fly quite often to Paris so I don’t miss France so much. And I’ve been in Moscow for 13 years now so I organize myself quite well so as not to feel homesick. My apartment is a small French territory in the big Russian capital, open the fridge and you’ll find wine, cheese and Dijon mustard. You’re in France!

François-Xavier Hotier,

General Manager Russia,

Parfums Christian Dior

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Thierry Cellerin Factory Partner, Buzz What is the main difference between French and Russian Business Cultures? For me, the main difference is in business relationships. I am talking about the kind of business relationship that develops when you start working with the client or the supplier. In any other culture, in particular in France, when you start working with the supplier, you start to corroborate with him or her. Here, people don’t see the supplier as a corroborator; they see him or her as some kind of different category of people. They don’t see the point in developing a long-term relationship.

What are the main differences that you have noticed in terms of living here? I would say the main difference is that people are very aggressive. I live in the centre, my office is near where I live. There is no reason for people to be aggressive, but they are. For me, this is the main difference. Many people here in Russia view other human beings as being a potential threat or enemy. In Europe, if you see someone in need in the street you will help that person, unfortunately so many times you see people just passing by and not helping.

What are the main similarities if there are any? That’s a good question. I would say the utilisation of Moscow. It’s happening in the same way as in Europe. For example, five or six years ago you didn’t have any coffee shops, now you see them everywhere. I think that the centre of Moscow is becoming more and more utilitarian, like in any other European city, particularly with as regards the consumer habits of people under 35.

Is it important for a French business person to live in Russia in order to understand the way of doing things here? I think it is absolutely necessary. A lot of people coming here from abroad have a completely misleading image of Russia. People’s understanding of this country is based on what they perceive through European culture. But Russian culture is very different from that of Europe. I think it is impossible to be successful in Russia without living here or having a team of people who live here. This is why the most successful French here are the people who have lived over 10 years here.

What do you love and hate about Russia? What I like about Russia is that it’s impossible to guess what is going to happen in 5 minutes. Anything can happen. I like the fact that once you get to know people here, once you get inside their inner circle, they tend to start to treat you as family. They are ready to die for people they care for. What I hate about Russia is also connected with this inner circle, as people do not care at all for people outside it. An example would be the way clients are treated in most Russian restaurants.

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“Here, people don’t see the supplier as a corroborator; they see him or her as some kind of different category of people. They don’t see the point in developing a long-term relationship. ..”

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a Helen Borodin

Dialogues

With Nureyev He: a controversial genius dancer who revolutionized the ballet world. A defector from the Soviet Union, director of Paris Opera Ballet. Born into a poor Soviet family shortly before World War II, he lived a life of struggle, fame, beauty and pain. He died in Paris at the age of 54. Rudolf Nureyev. She: an insightful self-taught portrait artist from Serbia. Left her home country at the age of 19, studied in London, found her second home in St Tropez, France. Una St Tropez. He never knew she existed, he never knew that twenty years after his death, she would, using her deep, vibrant art as the medium, bring him with triumph to the place where in his lifetime he didn’t dare dream to be. The Kremlin Palace. We live as long as we are loved, states Una with confidence. Nureyev is alive and absolutely possible to talk to, she says, and emphasizes – life and death, time and space are powerless in the realm where true artists dwell. “What amazed me about Nureyev was suffering, extreme suffering,

which was the price he had to pay. I wanted to know what was behind the weight that he carried. I was literally addressing him as an artist. “I’m a self-taught portraitist. In fact, I prefer to call myself an observer. I started as a writer. At first, drawing and painting were auxiliary means of accessing the character. Nureyev was very special in this respect because everything he did was very expressive.” The collection of paintings that Una St Tropez brought to Moscow includes 17 portraits. Nijinsky, Dostoevsky, Picasso, Che Guivara, Jesus Christ. And, of course, Nureyev himself. “In order to paint Nureyev, I needed to know small and sometimes unusual details – his moods, his manner of talking; how he was when he was out of the limelight, how he was when he was sick and frail... I analyzed him to such an extent that watching some of his interviews for the first time, I could guess his facial expressions and the movement of his head.” Building such an understanding of his character was possible due to

Una’s encounter with a close friend of Nureyev’s, Charles Jude. Una speaks of her inspirations in art, her background and her being an expatriate, a citizen of the world, sitting in the lobby of a luxury hotel in the downtown Moscow. She comes to Russia quite a lot. I ask her to tell me about it. She shares willingly. Her religious background is Orthodox Christianity. She loves the Russian churches. Admires the gentle strength of the Russian spirit. “The people here are such fervent prayers”, she adds, recalling, in particular, her pilgrimage to St. Ksenia in St Petersburg. As she talks, my mind pictures her painting in the studio, and then, I have a brief glimpse of Rudolf Nureyev, standing in a big exhibition hall looking at the pictures on the wall, depicting today’s Moscow, Una St Tropez presenting her exhibition at the Kremlin Palace, the dancers on today’s ballet stage. I suddenly realize that what makes the Soviet dancer and the Serbian-French artist kindred spirits is the courage that it took them to leave their home countries and to become travelers in this world. The courage that made them leave behind what they knew and what they would never come back to for the sake of discovery, self-expression, and the chance of making a difference in the world.

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French Arty Afternoon

Julia Popova

he artist confesses that she is fond of Russian architecture, as can be seen by the collection of pictures with various views of Red Square, Kremlin, Dom na Naberezhnoi, churches... Marie knows the history of these ancient buildings and this helps her imbue a personal view to her photographs. She likes Moscow at night. When everything is buzzing and dancing, Marie takes photos. Later on she transforms her works into pictures painted with the colours of her soul. “This is a technique I have been using for a couple of years. I take one, two or more shots then

I superpose, change the light and play with the texture on my computer.” Marie has been taking photos for a long time, and has kept photos from all the places she has worked: Cambodia, Africa, Sudan, Caucuses and Moscow. Beside photography Marie paints. “It was always deep in my heart,” she said. In her collection there are portraits, figurative and abstract paintings. Marie has drawn since childhood, she is from artistic family. Her grandparents and mother taught her to draw when she was young, and Marie says she finds it much easier to express her feelings through art then words.

In Moscow Marie says she has opportunities for art and business that she couldn’t find anywhere in France. She is very happy to have spent almost quarter of life here. “It’s amazing how dynamic Moscow is. You have plenty of chances to show your works. This week, I have four different exhibitions. I organized one of them, the others were arranged by friends and people from the world of art.” As we finished with the questions Marie introduced me to a strong and charismatic middle aged man; her husband Jean-Félix De La Ville Baugé, who is a French writer and Moscow journalist.

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Mother of four, successful business lady, talented artist and photographer, Marie De La Ville Bauge, has been living here for 8 years. Her husband, Jean-Félix has just finished a new book about Rasputin: ‘Dieu Regardait Ailleurs’. Jean-Félix De La Ville Baugé has just finished a new book: ‘Dieu Regardait Ailleurs’ . Although Jean-Félix doesn’t find Russia an easy place to live in, Moscow always brings out the creativity in him to write. The writer explains that there is something in the weather and the pressure that pushes him to think. ‘Dieu Regardait Ailleurs’ is JeanFélix’s third book, and is totally different his two previous books. Jean-Félix spent 7 years writing the book, and it tells Rusputin’s story, how a group of people planned to kill him, and how he fled the country and lived abroad.

“I’ve always been interested in the Russian revolution. It is very impressive. The entire empire disappeared in just a few days,” said Jean-Félix. “I did a lot of literary research and talked to many history professors. Each time they asked me why I stuck to this or that position, and I had to explain that these were Rasputin’s own viewpoints. My hero is extremely desperate and pessimistic about Russia. He hated Russians. My own point of view is quite different.” ‘Dieu Regardait Ailleurs’ has been published in France and is distributed in all French speaking countries. When the book is

translated into Russian Jean-Félix hopes to present it in Moscow and to reach a larger number of people. Jean-Félix’s experiences in Russia have undoubtedly influenced the plot of the story. In contradiction to his hero the writer seems to be optimistic about the country’s future. “I am sure if I had lived in other countries I would write about something else,” explains Jean-Félix. I am constantly discovering Moscow. It can be an aggressive and chaotic place to live. The language is difficult to speak. Everybody is running around all the time. But it makes life more motivated. It keeps me alert as doing nothing would destroy me.”

Community Two American ballet dancers, Maria Beck and Gabe Shayer, are closely involved with the Russian ballet world. Gabe is dancing with the American ballet Theatre in New York, and dances here regularly, Maria with the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre in Moscow (Stanislavski). Both have learnt from Russian ballet masters, and are in a position to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the American and Russian ballet training programmes.

How did you get to be here Maria? I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and started my training there when I was around 8 years old with my first Russian ballet teacher with whom I studied with until I was about 12. I was very close to this teacher, she became like a second mum. I participated in a lot of competitions in America, in particular the YAGP, the Youth American Grand Prix. When I was 11, I won their bronze medal in New York, and they offered me a scholarship to study with the Stuttgart Ballet. I didn’t take up the offer, because my mom thought I was too young. I won a scholarship to study at the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington DC, for two years, and then Marina Leonova, my teacher in the final year encouraged me to move on and go to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in New York. I loved it there, and I was accepted into the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow for a full-time, three-year preparatory course in dance. Having dual Russian-American citizenship because my mother is Russian, helped a lot. Now, my 4th year in Russia, I am living here as a Russian.

worth

Peter Hains Interview by

American

Ballet Dancers, Maria Beck and Gabe Shayer Train Russian Style So you are doing your main ballet training in Russia and are going to be a real Russian ballerina? Maria: Yes, I graduated last summer, and entered the Bolshoi Academy proper on another three years course, which is the equivalent to a degree course in the States in terms of qualifications. That summer I entered the Moscow International Ballet competition, which is the biggest in the world and is only held once every four years, and I won the bronze medal in the junior category. From that competition and from my exams at the Academy, the Director of the Stanislavsky Theatre Igor Zelensky, took notice of me, and invited me to work at the Theatre as a Russian dancer. Now I both work and continue my studies at the Bolshoi Academy.

Gabe, what is your connection with Russian ballet? I went to an American school which had a Russian teacher. In 2009, I went on a summer intensive organised at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in New York, at the end of which I was offered a place in their school in Washington. I declined it for that year, but I did attend for two months the following spring, to try it out. I loved it, and studied with them for two years on a course run by ILya Kuznetsov. I graduated from there two years ago. Right now I work with the American Ballet Theatre in New York, which is a great company, in my opinion it’s the American equivalent to the Bolshoi. I’m in their corps de ballet, but I’m getting a lot of invitations to dance figure roles. I would love to be able to have the chance to dance with the Bolshoi, or the Stanislavski. It’s difficult right now for them to let in an American, because

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of visa issues, let alone somebody who is coloured. This does not get me down, because I feel that if you are such a good actor that people do not notice your skin colour on stage; when you are playing a white person’s role, then that means that you are a great dancer. And that is something that I aspire to be.

What are the main differences between the Russian and American ballet training methods? Maria: In Russia the main thing is discipline, and from discipline you get to where you want to be, positioning has to be perfect. The main training revolves around poses, the form of the dancer, how he or she looks on stage. Gabe: It’s more extreme than American training, in a good way. I’ve been to places in America where they talk about standing in the first position in tones like: ‘well you know, you can let your feet go where your hips are naturally placed,’ I laugh at that, because ballet isn’t natural for the body. We have to do it by the book. Maria: It’s all based on the culture of the country, and clearly American and Russian culture are completely different. So in America it would be: “it’s OK if you can’t do it, don’t worry about it,” whereas in Russia it would be something like: “it doesn’t matter, you have to do it... Or forget ballet and do something else.” Gabe: You can tell the difference between Russiantrained dancers and American-trained dancers. There are some dancers in my company who are good at this and that; this girl can jump really well, but she can’t do this… in Russia, they would not let that happen, the dancers have to be good at everything. What makes you different is your performance on stage, your acting in a particular role. Maria: and that is how dancers differentiate themselves, what makes a great dancer.

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The One and

An interview with Flying Banana co-founder, Martin Cooke

Only Flying Banana

Written by Zack Degaris, photographs by NeuLara

Children’s Theatre Group Contact? Tamara Sidneva, (chief executive banana.) flyingbananamoscow@gmail.com Photos: Lara neupokoeva, neular@mail.ru Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/ flyingbananastheatremoscow

here’s a convivial buzz about the entrance to this otherwise conventional culture centre, where I have come to check out a show by the flying banana children’s theatre group. Children throng the hallways, placidly having their faces painted and eagerly chomp wandshaped lollipops. Like some kind of Pied Piper in reverse, I follow the trail of glitter and confetti left in their wake and enter a warmly lit room where I meet with more hubbub and merriment. The children lounge on cushions at the foot of the stage where a live sand art exhibition prologues the content of the show to come. At no point are the children ever ushered and shushed, in fact they are actively encouraged to get

up and move during the ensuing performance, to feel free to express themselves and join in the fun; even to the extent of invading the stage to protect the kindly witch from the smoke breathing dragon! The show itself is interactive and vivacious, leaning towards a ‘home made’ style which appeals to the childish imagination, rather than relying on unimaginatively contrived production tricks and cheesy clichés. After the show, I caught up with top banana, Martin Cooke.

Why the silly name? It’s from the circus – e.g. ‘The Flying Trampalinos’ and the English comedy series, Monty Python’s flying circus. Also, the flying Stilton

Community them in the same sort of free way which we play on stage. We tell stories which are chosen by children and are designed for children – I don’t want to make ‘successful theatre’ which is like the old joke – ‘the play was a success but the audience died’, because it misses the point of engaging the imagination of children by being overproduced and over educational. We like to leave room for stage invasions and interactivity.

club, an obscure, brilliant youth club in Suffolk. I wanted to express that sense of gentlemanly English anarchy.

Who are you? Professional, English and Canadian actors and actresses living and working in Moscow, along with Russian friends who produce, dance, make music. We also have a great friendship with Li Chi, a wonderful sand artist who illustrates our shows. I’m a theatre director from England. The Bananas were formed in 2013 by Tamara Sidneva and myself. We had done a few gigs at Tamara’s baby-bilingual club which gives ‘meaningful English exposure’ to children from 18 months. Initially we were interested in stories which were aimed at children from 2 years old to 7’ish. The bananas took off from there. I work as an actor in pilot films made in Moscow, for Hollywood. I also play roles in Russian films when they need a foreign character. We make video games too. I’m busy with that and also teaching drama

in English, to people of all ages. It’s called ‘English through Art’; it’s the same system that Shakespeare was taught by. It’s a fantastic way to improve your English; even for English people!

Why children’s theatre? Because it rocks! I had children relatively recently and that motivated me to take an interest in children’s art. I tell the same stories to my own children and play with

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What stories do you use? Modern masterpieces. Absolutely categorically we prefer great modern stories such as Gruffalo, Pirate Cruncher and Room on the Broom.

Education or entertainment? ‘To play is to be’ is our company motto, especially for children but that concept should apply at all levels anyhow. Some people call it edutainment, but quite honestly I call it liberty. That’s the mission. I want my own children to experience the liberating effect of theatre and theatre arts. I believe in it with a passion. If I wanted to make money, I wouldn’t be starting a children’s theatre company, that’s for sure. As things stand there’s a definite demand for what we do. We are dedicated and full time and we are meeting the demand to offer children and parents a unique experience. It’s growing and developing all the time.

Where do you perform? We started in a tiny room in the library which we outgrew immediately. We want to keep the intimacy but we also want to increase the production value. So we play at non-traditional venues throughout Moscow, such as libraries and yoga

studios and also in real theatres or culture centres – but always with cushions scattered on the floor to encourage an informal atmosphere and also to allow for children to stand up and move around during the performance – as you saw, even getting on the stage and preventing the evil dragon from eating the kindly witch! We also like to give children soft plastic balls to throw at the actors. It gets kinda wild on occasion. But it has a very liberating effect and is fantastic fun. We also play at schools and at private parties.

What about adult theatre? I’ve gone off it. It’s not childish enough. My own son, Arthur Tikon Cooke has been appearing on stage since he was 18 months old; he started off in Harold Pinter’s ‘A Slight

Ache’, with Elena Morozova and now he’s graduated to being the star of ‘Gruffalo’ and ‘Room on the Broom’maybe when he wants to do King Lear and the Tempest, I’ll take up adult theatre again, but for now I’m having too much fun to go back to the adult dimension. I’m glad to say that I seem to have escaped adulthood for now!

What next? Gruffalo! Tiger who came to tea! We’re going on a bear hunt! Room on the Broom! At the JCC, 47/3 Bolshoi Nikitsakaya, and other venues, throughout the spring season. A brand new PIRATE show will be showcased and we are developing a commedia d’ellarte comedy piece to be performed by English Clownessa, Amy G.

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The Caledonian Club in Moscow a Helen Borodin

Hail Caledonia! Thy name acts like magic On each Scottish heart when they’re far o’er the sea. Down in the South when their day’s work is over Their thoughts turn back, dear old Scotland to thee. (Hail Caledonia, a Scottish song, 1912 by Hugh Ogilvie) Helen Borodina

You can contact The Caledonian Club Moscow by writing to the author on: elena.k.borodina@gmail.com

hen you are far from home, wherever you are, that old pining for home comes back once in a while. Is it possible to have this longing, though, if it was your greatgrandfather who came to a foreign land long before you were born and settled there? If you are of Scottish descent, the answer is definitely yes. Descendants of Scotts all over the world form unions known as Caledonian Clubs to celebrate their heritage. In the early 1990s, a documentary was shown on the Russian TV about the part of Scottish history that especially relates to Russia. The film captured the attention of Vitaly Mironov, who became interested in meeting the people who made it. This is how, in 1994, the Moscow Caledonian club was born, with Vitaly Mironov as its President, and the historian Dmitry Fedosov, Ph.D, who was consultant for the film, as its Chairman. Its coat of arms has two St. Andrew crosses, St. Andrew being a patron saint in both Russia and Scotland. It’s on St. Andrew days (from November 30 to December 13) that the Club holds special events to mark another year. The event that introduced the Moscow Caledonian Club to me was an acoustic concert by a trio of renowned British musicians – Ivan Drever, Frank Mcguire and Richard Young. I must tell you that the

music sent my heart straight to the highlands… I asked Dmitry Fedosov to tell me more about the Club. With its twenty years of history, Dmitry has countless stories to tell. There were many Scotts in Russia even before the Revolution (for example, the Lermontovs, famous due to the poet Mikhail Lermontov). Today, most Scottish descendants from all over Russia have ties with the Moscow Caledonian Club. Having an open membership, the Club welcomes anyone who has an interest in Scotland, its culture and its history. Dmitry doesn’t have any Scottish ancestors, but he’s Scottish to the core. Why is that?, I wonder. He shows me an old detailed map of Scotland. “My father gave this to me when I was eight, and, examining the map, I was lost in Scotland for life”. The club sees its mission in

cultural exchange by organizing concerts, lectures and other events in Russia, Scotland, Canada, Greece, Italy and Libya. They organized the Scottish traditional Highland Games in Moscow in 1997; and it was with the club’s active participation that the Kremlyovskaya Zorya military orchestra festival was organized in Red Square in 2007. Being the inspired historian that he is, Dmitry has written a number of books on Scotland, and is working on the translation of the diaries of the General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries. This magazine page wouldn’t suffice to list all of the Moscow Caledonian club activities (and neither would the next page do) – but its doors are wide open to anyone whose hearts are in the highlands...

Community American Christine Otsver lives with her Germany husband in a flat with a stunning view over Chistye Prudi and old Moscow. Christine produces the most amazing abstract photographic paintings which are printed using a special technique in acrylics on metal. Moscow expat Life found out how she came to be in Moscow.

pavement, while walking, completely out of intuition. I just snapped a shot. He said: “Wow, you’ve got talent.” After a while I realised that I liked photography, and I decided to invest a fair amount of money into a good camera and equipment, also into classes. I had to learn what buttons to push to make a decent photograph, and it sort of went from there. That was about two and a half years ago.

What is your subject matter, moving light, abstract patterns? It’s light, and one of the reasons for this is that my father used to be very keen on photography. Our bathroom at home used to double up as darkroom, and as a small child I was fascinated that out of the darkness something really tangible

involving printing on metal, it all takes about three days to dry. The result is very durable and easy to clean, and it doesn’t break, unlike glass.

So the finished pieces can be sold to individuals and also to offices I suppose? Yes, to both. I sell to individuals, and that makes me really happy. But offices are also a very fitting environment for this kind of art, because the photographs are very abstract and modern, very sheik. They change the room where they are hung; they give it a more interesting and fresh atmosphere. For me it’s not just about making money, it’s about seeing people really happy. They usually

Artist Dr. Christine Otsver

Christine, how long have you been here and where are you from? I’m American, from Philadelphia, and I’ve lived in Moscow for about a year and a half. Previously I lived in Germany for about 6 years and that’s where I completed my Ph.D. in Political Science, and where I got married to a German guy.

came out. The fact that you can change a few things here and there in the process is really nice. My mum’s hobby is drawing - she draws quite well - so what I do is I try to combine the two. I try to draw with the camera. We don’t see everything that the camera shows us with the naked eye. It’s quite fascinating actually - to see a world beyond the one that we see with a naked eye.

How did you develop your photographic skills?

How do you print your work?

I sort of developed them on my own. I got into photography by accident, with a friend of mine from the media. I took a photograph of the

I was very happy to find that there are very good professional labs here which produce acrylics. This is a complicated process,

have a bit of a struggle to choose the piece that they like, usually it comes down to a choice between two pieces. It’s my job to help them decide what they want. The biggest compliment I can ever get is when they hang the piece and say that: “Wow, it belongs here.”

You can find out more about Christine’s work on: www.otsverarts.com and on facebook. Contact: christine@otsverarts.com

BIS

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Celebrate 20th Anniversary in Style

he British International School celebrated its 20th academic year in Moscow in December. Parents and students filled the Svetlanov Hall at the Moscow International House of Music to watch a magnificent international music and dance programme. The concert took the audience on a world tour from Europe to the Far East and beyond. Students aged 5-17 years showcased their developing talents in a wonderfully varied programme of music, song and dance in a stunningly colourful array of national dress costumes representing the cultures and customs of over 70 nationalities.

Congratulations to all the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students and staff.

Photo by Flo Hagena

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Chris Helmbrecht

pringtime in Moscow! What’s new and what’s famous? We are doing Jazz Nights at Mendeleev Bar every two weeks and these are well visited. If you feel more like partying come after midnight and you’ll find some deephouse. For those of you chasing women, I suggest Oblaka. Its not one of our venues, just take

his winter was long in coming and now I am not so sure it wants to leave, but hopefully by the time this article comes out Mother Nature will kick us into spring and get everyone in the mood for future outdoor events and venues. Over the past couple of months, I along with the owners and my partner Doug Steele, have been bathing in the success of the all new ‘Papa’s Bar & Grill.’ The place has taken on a life of its own which caters to all age groups and nationalities; the key ingredient is that it is just a lot of fun. With a great menu and a schedule of amazing weekly entertainment, Papa’s has become known as the place to be. Now of course having said that, I don’t mean

it as some free advice. The allfamous partymaker Goroby started a new project, after ‘Imperia’ was closed. Artel Bessonnitza is on the roof of Icon (formerly known as Rai). Its one of Moscow’s more glam venues and hard to get in, but we throw pre-parties there now and then, making it easier to join Moscow’s beautiful and famous, when they are partying. Apart that there are no other great venues in city because there are (they just haven’t invited me to the Party ‘LOL’). The ‘Standard Bar’ is now known for having some of the best food in Moscow, especially their famous roast beef sandwich which is my personal favorite. The place reminds me a lot of the old American TV show called ‘Cheers’ with its cast of characters and always a great atmosphere. Recently opened in the center of Moscow is the all-new ‘Bud House.’ This is a traditional roadhouse styled restaurant with a full American Menu, pool tables, and soon to have a full weekly entertainment program. The concept is to keep it simple, affordable, and fun. As far as things to come goes, I am sure that there is an exciting year

from that we are doing Joys Bar on Saturdays, Klava, SOHO Rooms and Sorry Dedushka on Fridays. Sorry Dedushka is the follow-up of the famous party bar Sorry Babushka, which closed a few years ago. We’ll do a series of pre-openings during the spring, and all of them will be wild parties. See you soon! All Photos are from the new Goroby place: ‘Artel Bessonnitsa’.

Don Craig ahead though and I look forward to being a part of it.

www.MoscowExpatLife.ru

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Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Kim Waddoup

he Chaîne des Rôtisseurs held their monthly ‘Dinner Amical’ in the World Trade Centre in the Crowne Plaza Club Rooms as guests of Dmitry Motorin the F&B Director. The Crowne Plaza Club room is location on the top floor and features panoramic views of Moscow City and the Moscow river. As members arrived they were greeted by waiters offering the first drink of the evening, a Grande Cuvee Aimery Cremant de Limoux and excellent sparkling wine. The canapés set the standard for the meal with an amazing Russian style herring with a touch of vodka (served in a liquid form), mini-tortini with blue cheese, a tartar of Kamchatka Crab & avocado and absolutely amazing, White Chocolate & Foie Gras candy which really boggled the taste senses. On being called to the tables all were most impressed by the table decoration, impressive crockery and even gold cutlery (there were metal detectors by the exit!). Dmitry Motorin explained that their aim is to present a most memorable meal/setting without the snobbishness of many fine dining establishments. Next was a sumptuous Rabbit Terrine with cream of Romanesco broccoli, carrot and berry jelly accompanied by a beautiful PouillyFuisse 2011 that matched perfectly. The next wonder was Scallops on Sea Salt with tangerine sauce and

chocolate biscuit. This was a brave dish to combine many strong flavours but the end effect was spectacular. The eloquent favours were enhanced by the 2011 Chablis Premier Cru. Next a soup to calm the taste buds, however again this was no ordinary soup, rather a Cappuccino of Turnip with cream of goat cheese and crispy salami! Fears that the main course could not trump the previous dishes were dispelled as the Stuffed Duck Filet with pear Porto, caramelised apple Cointreau and fig were presented. Another amazing creation consisting of succulent duck with strong yet complimenting flavours. The super Liberta Toscana 2011 again was perfectly matched. Despite the amazing dishes most managed to reserve a little space for the dessert of a highly creative Chocolate Sphere & raspberry sauce with olives taggiasche and even a tiny piece of Chipotle Pepper. Amazing!!!! What an amazing meal, absolutely perfect service and one of the most memorable meals that the author has enjoyed in Moscow. The creativity of Executive Chef Mikhail Kuznetsov was a masterpiece, the wine selection of Sommelier Vladimir Sinitsin perfect and the venue can be highly recommended as a special venue with incredible food and superb service.

Culture Address: Prechistenka 12/2 Telephone: +7 495 637 5674

The Pushkin State Museum

ust off Prechistenskaya Ulitsa, 5 minutes walk away from Metro Kropotskinskaya is the Pushkin State Museum. This large museum complex is not to be confused with the even larger Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on Volkonka Ulitsa. Many of us know the Pushkin Museum because of its classy and dramatic atrium where sizeable receptions and some trade fairs are held. However the museum is a great deal more than being a nice place to sip champagne with a cultural backdrop, although it fulfils that function very well. This museum was opened in 1957. The history of the building had a chequered career as being the residence of a previous grain merchant, Alexandre Khruschev who moved his family, with all his 15 children to Moscow into the previous residence of the Bartynski

Princes in 1814. At that time the main house was in ruins thanks to Mr Napoleonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s excursions into Ruissia. After several years of rebuilding, the Khrushevs restored most of the property. The family held open house and receptions most weeks, and the address became popular with residents of Prechistenka for hospitable lunches and cultural evenings. There is no documentary evidence to suggest that Pushkin himself visited the residence, however as the Khrushevs were known throughout Moscow at the time, and their hospitality was legendary, it is highly likely that Alexandre Sergeyevich did call round a few times. Fast forward to the postBolshevik revolution. The buildings were used, official records say, by the State in connection with preserving culture in various ways. A museum of toys was opened here from 1924 to 1931, but the

Culture

building’s cultural career temporarily ended with the outbreak of the Velikaya Otechestvennaya Voyna (Great Patriotic War). In 1949 an exhibition about Pushkin, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of his birth was held here, and eventually a permanent exhibition dedicated to Russia’s greatest poet was opened here in 1957. The main idea of this museum is to create the atmosphere of the Pushkin era and therefore reflect on the author’s work in context of the surrounding culture. The buildings now serve as a treasure trove of details from the times, travels and epoch of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837). So this is really a history museum covering the span of Pushkin’s life. The large number of manuscripts written in pen and ink by Pushkin’s own hand, are fascinating, perhaps because one sees how the man worked. On almost every page of his notes for

Evegny Onegin for example, are small cartoons of his characters. There is Zaretsky with glasses, or perhaps let’s see what he looks like without glasses. Let’s extend his nose slightly. The ability to draw is not only a refection of Pushkin’s genius, but a reflection of the fact that being able to draw was something just about every member of the intelligentsia in 19th century Russia could do, like riding horses. Which

Antique guns, porcelain, everyday household items, as well as hundreds of books owned by Pushkin; the man could read 14 languages. If you want to see the bed in which Pushkin actually slept in, or where he worked in Moscow, you should visit the Pushkin memorial Flat on Arbat 53 or spend some time in St. Petersburg, the city which claims him as his own, although he was in fact a Muscovite. However

says something about education in the 21st century when education is departmentalised, perhaps, to an unnecessary degree. There are a large number of lithographic prints from newspapers and magazines of the time. These convey the spirit of the times best of all; better than the paintings and period costume pieces which seem to reflect the official, mainstream culture of the time. But Pushkin was bigger than all of that. Certainly he was accepted by the establishment, but towards the end of his life he was increasingly attacked by the powers-to-be for his support, for example, of the Decembrists. For any historian, this museum is a gold mine. Apart from handwritten lists of books that Pushkin ordered, as we might do from Amazon today, there is a plethora of handwritten material not directly connected to Pushkin, which add amazing details to anybody interested in that epoch.

if you wish to be immersed by a multitude of Pushkin-era artefacts, are interested in Russian 19th century history, the Pushkin State Museum is on the ‘must-see’ list. An English language audio guide is available. Concerts are held in the museum almost every night, and major exhibitions are also held, which are usually connected to the 19th century. Check out the museum’s website for up to date details: http://www. pushkinmuseum.ru/ There is a café in the museum complex, and rooms can be hired out for events. Dancers dressed in period costumes can dance waltzes for you if you fancy a Pushkin-era event.

http://www.pushkinmuseum.ru/ email: info@a-s-pushkinmus.ru The museum is about 10 minutes walk from Metro Kropotkinskaya

Travel

Train to the Solovki

tos Text and pho

by Ian Luyt

t’s midnight in late August and hot and steamy inside the refurbished Leningradsky railway station in Moscow. The ticket office is a bright open plan design and gone are the days of talking to the ticket agent through a gap at the bottom of a window. Gone too is the giant bust of Lenin that dominated the departures hall and seemed to convey an ambience darkly appropriate to a journey to Russia’s north. Travelers crowd into the waiting room. Some find seats in the cooler air of the departures hall or stand outside on the platform. The carriage attendants stand in formation alongside the train in their smart grey trim with bright red berets. Most of the passengers trek down to third class or platzkarts carriages. There are 54 bunks in open plan in each. It’s going to be a long trip for these folk with new acquaintances made, whether desired or not. Train No. 16 to Murmansk, aptly named the Arktika, departs at 01:00 and, like most Russian trains, it’s exactly on time. We are in first class in a modern and very comfortable coupé. Lunch is included in the ticket and Lyudmila from the dining car arrives to take orders for the following day. The ‘Menu of diets of the guaranteed food of cars of the increased comfort’ offers ‘Soup with beef’ followed by a choice of fish, chicken or beef. I play safe and choose the ‘Braised chicken breast with mushrooms in a sauce with rice and vegetable garnish optional, greens’. The menu ends with a salutation from the catering contractor, the TransMurmansk Company: ‘Bon Appetite (sic)!’ They offer a ‘hot line’ for comments or complaints. The first stop is Saint Petersburg at 08:38 in the morning. The conductors disembark to welcome the new passengers. Those in platzkarts will be elbowing their way

GETTING THERE: Rail tickets can be bought online at Russian Railways (www.rzd.ru). A ‘luxury’ ticket to Kem costs 10,024 rubles one-way. The Prichal Hotel in Rabocheostrovsk offers a double room for 2,000 rubles per night. Ferry tickets cost 800 rubles one way and can be reserved through the hotel (advisable in summer months as the ferry fills up quickly). The Solo Hotel offers double rooms at 3,200 rubles per night. Breakfast is extra and served in the hotel’s restaurant. Other hotels include the higher priced Solovki, Solovetsky Sloboda, Priyut, and Prichal, and there is a camping site as well. The only restaurant in town (outside of the hotels) is the Kayut is run by a local cooperative. The menu offers 3 pages of food choices and 6 pages of drink options. Rooms in private homes can be rented from vendors at the ferry dock or the information center (cost about 800 rubles per night). The Solovki Hospitality Center (www.welcome.solovky.ru), and the information office of the Solovki Museum, offer an outstanding selection of excursions to the monastery, gulag museum and other parts of the islands. The guides are top class albeit the guidance is all in Russian. Nobody accepts credit cards and cash is needed to settle bills. MTC has good phone and data reception and there is an internet café. There are no ATMs though Sberbank has a branch with limited days of service. Mobile phones can be topped up at a Qiwi terminal in one of the island’s produkty stores.

Travel for a seat for the coming 24 hours to Murmansk. The railway tracks a line along the bottom of Lake Ladoga. Volkhov (pop. 47,182) is the first of several short stops. The station is vibrant in a new coat of yellow and white paint. The town boasts the first hydroelectric power station built in the Soviet Union in the 1920s, which is still in use. The line turns north and starts traversing the vast catchment linking Ladoga and Onega, Europe’s two largest lakes. Lyudmila delivers lunch wrapped in plastic. The sauce matches the yellow rice. The ‘vegetable garnish optional, greens’ consists of two slices of tomato and a curl of cucumber. No sign of mushrooms in the chicken. The food is simple but tasty. Next stop is Lodeynoye Pole (pop. 20,674) (literally, ‘field of boats’) on the banks the Svir river and the place where the first ship in the Baltic Fleet was built in 1702. This is also the site of Svirlag, a prison camp built in 1931 on the site of

Petrozavodsk (pop. 262,000), the capital of Karelia. The station is an attractive classical design with its yellow steeple clock tower standing out against the blue sky. The sun is setting as we start the final leg. Construction of this part of the line was a remarkable feat of engineering; Turkey’s entry into World War I had blocked access to the Black Sea and hastened the need for access to the ice-free port at Murmansk. The 1,100 kilometers of railway line, traversing countless rivers and swamps, was completed in only two years. Thousands of workers were shipped in from other parts of Russia and German POWs were used extensively too. Kondopoga (pop. 32,987), on the shore of Lake Onega, offers an unremarkable vista, advertising boards and concrete. The town was occupied by Finnish troops during the Winter War and largely destroyed. Ironically, Red Finns, who arrived in the 1920s after their revolution failed, were prominent in much of the region’s early development.

a monastery, where many, predominantly clergy, perished. In Podporozhye (pop. 18,733) carriages bearing timber indicate what drives the local economy. The town (literally, ‘under the rapids’) was founded when Peter the Great resettled peasants to organize navigation along the rapids of the Svir linking Onega and Ladoga. Svirstroy is a thirty-minute stop to change locomotives from the 3kV to the newer 25kV line. Interestingly, the line between Volkhov and Petrozavodsk was a private investment financed by Russian and French banks in 1916. The station offers only rusted railings and concrete now but passengers use the opportunity to get out and stretch. Vendors clamber over the tracks and under a stationary cargo train to offer cold beer, warm pies, smoked fish and buckets of red and black berries. Business is good at the platzkarts end. Smoked fish and cold beer might do a good job of breaking the monotony. We pass continuous tracts of pine and birch forests and cross several large rivers. There is good phone and internet connectivity in and around most stations and the time passes by quickly. It’s late afternoon as we reach

Medvezhyegorsk (pop. 13,533) has a spired green wooden railway station. Built in 1916, it’s the most charming station on the route. A long line of fish and berry vendors hustles along the train in the hope of a last sale of the day. The conductors, now in white shirts sans berets, climb back on. The sun drops below the tree line and the light starts to soften. The colors of the swamps and the sky form a palette of deep greens, golds, browns and blues. Lyudmila reappears with a list to sign to show to management in Murmansk that we ate what she tells them we ate. I forget to ask her about the mushrooms. The train now moves at a slower pace rocking gently almost like a playground train. There are sporadic glimpses of Lake Onega and the vanishing light casts a ginger tinge to the vegetation, an anticipation of autumn. Segezha (pop. 29,631) is the last opportunity for the line of berry optimists. The pie sellers have given up and gone home. We journey on passing the silhouette of a distant paper mill. It’s now the turn of the rising moon to track the train across the water. Occasionally we pass a fisherman in a boat out alone in a personal paradise.

Travel The moon disappears and the trees form a dark sink. Hadvotsy, Idel and Belomorsk come and go with short stops, all worth only a few minutes of the train’s time. Belomorsk, incidentally, offers a ferry to Solovetsky but it’s a longer sea journey and an infrequent schedule at this time of the year. We reach our destination of Kem (pop. 13,051) on time at 00.46, some 1,400 kilometers and just short of 24 hours from Moscow. The ferry point is at Rabocheostrovsk, some 12 kilometers away. ‘It’s 300 roubles to get there’, says the taxi driver, a bargain by Moscow’s standards. We check in to the Prichal Hotel for about five hours of sleep. It’s basic and comfortable. Rabocheostrovsk is a fishing settlement and the place where detainees were held during winter while they waited for the sea to thaw. It’s a ten-minute walk from the hotel to the jetty. Most passengers are pilgrims (palomniki) wrapped in anoraks and scarves. The

WHAT ARE THE SOLOVETSKY ISLANDS? The Solovetsky Islands, or the Solovki, are an archipelago located in the Onega Bay of the White Sea. Historically, the islands are the setting of one of the architectural wonders of the Russian North: the 600-year old Orthodox Monastery, located against a backdrop of stunning natural beauty. Founded in the second quarter of the 15th century by two monks it emerged as one of the most influential religious centers in Russia. The existing fortress and its major churches were erected during the early reign of Ivan the Terrible. The Solovki attained notoriety as the site of the first Soviet prison camp, which operated from 1923 to 1939. Following that the islands housed a naval cadet-training base for the Soviet Northern Fleet. In 1992, the Solovetsky Islands were included on the World Heritage List ‘as an outstanding example of a monastic settlement in the inhospitable environment of northern Europe which admirably illustrates the faith, tenacity, and enterprise of later medieval religious communities.’

backpackers arrive having spent the night in the waiting room at the station in Kem. The Vasiliy Kosyakov departs promptly at 8 am. Most passengers move out of the cold wind into the cabin below the deck. There’s a large plastic shark hanging in the kiosk that sells clothing and ‘chocolates from Finland’. Hot drinks are sold from a window on the rear deck but soon run out. The sea is calm and the ferry cuts a lone wake across the water. The metallic blue hue of the water and the hazy grey sky merge on the horizon and create an almost mystical aura. We are only about a hundred kilometers south of the Polar Circle. It’s beluga whale country but none surface during the trip. Most passengers have had an early start and sit and doze and the only conversation comes from seagulls circling the ferry. It’s a two-hour journey to Bolshoi Solovetsky Island, some 45 kilometers away. The island appears as a strip of vegetation, which peaks to the left. As we get

closer the spires of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration and the Solovetsky Kremlin emerge, backlit by the morning sun. The approach is an inspiring sight added to, inescapably, by thoughts of the ancient monks approaching the island over several hundreds of years ago, and, more recently, and ominously, of detainees arriving some 90 years ago. The ferry docks and the palomniki trek off in groups. Locals standing on the quay offer rooms and bicycles for rent. There are a few taxis available but most people walk. One can walk to almost anywhere on the island. The air is crisp and clean and one feels an immediate sense of tranquility. An exhilarating encounter awaits: ancient labyrinths suggestive to some of a link to the souls of the dead; six centuries of Russian Orthodoxy, for which, for many, the Solovki represent the spiritual soul of Russia; and the grim reminders of Soviet repressions. All of this wrapped within the stunning natural beauty of the islands and the White Sea. The captain gives me the thumbs up as we disembark to start what will turn out to be one of the most fascinating and spiritual experiences of my life.

Business Moscow expat Life Breakfast Forum at the Intercontinental

VISAS The introduction of the ‘Highly Qualified Specialist’ (HQS) visa in 2010 has made it easier for expats working for companies to get visas and work permits here. It has not made it easier for everybody else. Over a long, impeccable breakfast at the Intercontinental Hotel Moscow, Paul Sprague, Director, Russia Consulting; David Gilmartin, General Manager, Troika Relocations, Marina Gordeeva, Director of Business Services at TIM Services & TIM Advisers; and John Harrison, editor of Moscow expat Life magazine, discuss the issues.

disadvantages, but the advantages John Harrison: What are the advantages and disadvantages are that you are legal. Paul Sprague: Amongst my of getting a work permit? Marina Gordeeva: Russian legislation is changing all the time, so we advise our clients to keep a constant eye on changes. If you want to feel safe it is better to get a work permit. If a company employs an individual without permission, company activities can be suspended for up to 90 days, and fined up to one million roubleper person employee hired illegally.

Does that ever happen? David Gillmartin: Yes, often. I think the good old days ten years ago when you could go down to a travel house and buy a one year’s business visa for $300, and work here long term by renewing those visas, are gone. Everybody has to comply now. You wouldn’t go to the UK or to the States and be able to work illegally, and Russia is the same now. It is incumbent on us to follow the rules. The HQS visa has made it a lot easier to do that. There are

clients, I would say even a couple of years ago, people were still coming over to work on a business visa. One client told me that their workers were being sent to a work location, an airport in this case, working 8 hours a day on business visas, and they wanted to know what’s the risk? We did some checking and we were told by the Federal Migration Service that if the workers don’t have labour contracts then they aren’t performing labour and they don’t need work permits. Clearly, this isn’t logical from a western perspective but shows the mentality and how the system works. Today, the government is getting smarter and I would say it’s very risky to continue on work visas. David Gillmartin: We continually get the question asked: “Can’t we come in for 6 months to complete this contract”. Not really. If you come in on a business visa, you are not supposed to work or provide services, you can just come for a meeting and sign documents; that happens all the time.

How easy is it for companies to supply their foreign employees with labour contracts? Paul Sprague: There are two types of work permits, the old type, and the new HQS kind. The old system worked within a quota system and the company concerned had to request a year in advance how many such permits

Business less and less viable. You are lumped in together with TCN (Third Country Nationals), from Uzbekistan and some other countries of the previous Soviet Union. There is also the issue of travelling around the country. Under the old system, only one location was shown on your work permit. So if you wanted to travel to another city you might have a problem, because this city was not on your visa. Now you can put multiple cities on your work permit, and that simplifies things a lot. To get the HQS visa you now need a medical certificate, which is something new. But in general, the new immigration laws are all about were needed. There were and are all sorts of technical difficulties, such as the medical exam, the results of which are valid for only 30 days, so it was nearly impossible to send the results to Russia and have it translated and notarised in this short period. For new companies coming into the market, that was a bit too challenging. You needed to know a year in advance what you needed to do today. The new system with HQS visas is much easier because labour contracts can be issued when they are actually needed and there is no quota system, but it is not for everybody. David Gillmartin: But the new system comes with the caveat that the employee is going to be paid over 2 million roubles a year. So we are getting fewer blue collar workers, more white collar workers and senior management, in this sense Russia is becoming less of an open market, that is there are fewer people getting a flight here to look for a job. This is encouraging some employers, such as banks, to hire people who are already here. You need to have a job before you come to Russia, with a sponsor that is going to pay for getting a work permit. You can get a three year HQS visa in 30 days. Under the old system, you have to apply under the quota system, then spend 3, 4 or 5 months to get the one year work permit, this is becoming

Paul Sprague: Yes, that is correct. I terminated my labour contract and I had 30 days to sign a new labour contract, which I did with another employer and there were no problems. Marina Gordeeva: The law says that you have 30 days to find another job and 30 days to leave Russia, so in general, you have 60 days, under the HQS system. David Gillmartin: And they are starting to join up their computers as well. There is a new law about breaking laws, nicknamed ‘two strikes and you’re out’. It could be small things like traffic fines, whereby if you have two offences you may lose your visa, so don’t put the car in the expat’s name.

How difficult is it for Mr Jones to get his family out here? David Gillmartin: If he has agreed it with his family in advance, there is no difficulty. The trouble is, of course, getting the company to pay for it. Dependant visas themselves are not an issue. ‘Dependents’ have to supply documents proving a family relationship such a birth certificate, marriage certificate and so on. Common law marriage is not recognised. We’ve had a situation where we had to advise a couple to get married to come here. Marina Gordeeva: There may be some problems because Mr compliance. Now, if a company wants to bring a specialist in from abroad, the company has to declare the full salary and pay the full tax. The new system makes it very difficult for companies to pay a very small salary here, and a large amount offshore or in his or her home country. The company has to submit a quarterly report to the immigration authorities that they have paid the tax on that salary. If the tax isn’t paid, the work permit is cancelled.

So it’s quite tricky then for an employee to leave a company unless he can find another position with at least an equal salary?

Business Paul Sprague: Additionally, under the HQS visa, the employer pays very low taxes, only 02%, but when the employee gets temporary residency status or citizenship, then the employer has to pay full payroll taxes as if the employee is a Russian citizen. This will have a financial impact on the company, so employing people on HQS visas makes sense for the company although they may pay more in wages than they would do otherwise.

Jones employed under the standard procedure (not HQS) may be a British citizen, but he has a Ukrainian wife, who cannot stay for the duration of her husband’s post because she does not need a visa, and therefore falls into the category of people who can only stay for 90 days. The only way round this is for her to sign a labour contract with a company that will offer her one, to get a work permit, or to apply for a residence permit. This new rule applies to all nationals from countrieswhich are former members of the Soviet Union which are not members of the EU.

I can’t apply for a work permit unless I’m in Russia, but how do I get into Russia in the first place? Marina Gordeeva: At the moment the only thing you can do is come to Russia on an ordinary business visa, complete all the necessary paperwork, then leave Russia and come back again on an HQS work visa, because you cannot change your business visa into a work visa in Russia. If you change your employer you don’t have to leave the country because a work visa can be exchanged for another work visa.

But sometimes, what choice do people have? David Gillmartin: Sometimes no choice, if someone’s setting up an office and they need to send in an IT

technician for 3 months, that person wont be able to get a work permit for 23 moths. If you really need to be here in a hurry, a tourist visa is faster to organise. You make a hotel reservation in Moscow and get them to organise the visa invitation. This can all be done in an hour. There is the new 3 day visa if you fly on a Russian airline, but not so many business people want to do that. It’ll be very good for tourists though. Marina Gordeeva: Companies can now employ foreign students, if they are full time students of Russian universities, they will be able to apply for work permits without quotas.

What about residence permits? David Gillmartin: Once you’ve got a HQS visa, you can apply for a temporary residency permit. Paul Sprague: I was told that if I apply for a temporary and then a permanent residency permit on the basis of my HQS visa, then if I quit my job, I would lose residency. So the word ‘permanent’ is confusing. Marina Gordeeva: Getting this kind of permanent residence permit would be useful if you intend to apply for Russian citizenship because usually you would have to apply for temporary residency, then permanent and only then apply for citizenship. But this route is mainly used by CIS citizens.

But there are all sorts of other people who have to get visas in a hurry, I’m thinking about performers, artists, how do they get visas? David Gillmartin: The people who bring these kind of people in frequently have their own contacts and their own way of sorting things out. Elton John isn’t going to come to us looking for a work permit. Paul Sprague: This is a country where networking and contacts are very important.

Any final comments? Paul Sprague: I would say that in general the process is becoming more understandable, but there are still frequent changes in legislation which can be difficult. However I think we can overcome these. David Gillmartin: I agree that the system is definitely becoming easier, the HQS visa has simplified things for the majority of staff. There are still issues, however, like when you try and do something new because the first people who follow the new regulations always have difficulties until problems are ironed out. But in general, it’s definitely getting better. Marina Gordeeva: In my opinion it is not getting easier, things are getting more difficult, because the process involves a lot of steps. There are a lot of new laws, appearing every day, which you have to familiarise yourself with, and you have to be very careful with all of them.

Moscow expat Life is grateful to the management and staff at the Intercontinental for an excellent breakfast!

Business

he younger expat community is growing in Russia attracted by the opportunities on offer in one of the fastest growing regions in the world. This trending downward in age has also revealed a more prevalent integration of expats into local communities. They have left their welfare states behind and are catapulting into the future with enthusiasm. But what provisions must they make for the financial challenges they will face in the future? The encounters of a more independent lifestyle also create the responsibility of taking care of their own long term financial independence. The fact is that the earlier you start to make sound financial plans for your future the better prepared you will be for the tests ahead. Despite having that revolutionary streak there will also be a side which is relatively naïve when it comes to personal financial planning for the future. For many this translates into believing that they can put off planning until tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes and the sense of security today creates complacency leaving these expats exposed.

If you are a professional expat these aspects may not reveal themselves to you until it is almost too late. Maybe you will be asked to relocate with your employer at some time in the future. This will require considerations such as children’s schools, whether you have a property in your current location and the often unforeseen tax planning. All these aspects will affect most of us one way or another during our tenure as expats. There will be other circumstances which may arise from time to time like having disabled children or a family member who suffers from serious medical setbacks. This may even be you. In the overall scheme of things where should you begin to make some sort of start on a plan for your future?

Financial Planning for the Young Expat – it’s never too early I have spoken to some relatively young expats who have all told me that they wish they had been educated on financial planning at school because they did not realise that inflation and compound interest had such an effect on their lives; that financial planning early relieves a great deal of pressure later when plans are in place and their wealth accumulation is underway. So, where should you begin? There are a number of aspects to every person’s life which they will encounter and need to deal with. The major events include: retirement planning; buying your home; educating your children; planning for major purchases and making sure you have the right protection for yourself, your family and all your assets. There are also peripheral areas which need to be constantly viewed. These will change depending on the places you live, where you come from and where you have assets situated. This is the complex subject of taxation. Careful planning is required in this respect if you know what your circumstances will be.

Brian Johnso

Probably the first and most important part of long term planning is your retirement or financial independence. The earlier you begin the easier it will be to achieve your goals because you can make adjustments along the way. This affords a longer period to accumulate the wealth you require for this important period of your life. If you leave this to a later age you will have less time to accumulate assets making it daunting.

Business

Many do not realise the level of wealth they will require in order to live in their golden years. Inflation plays havoc with the cost of living but so many do not see this as it happens so slowly. It is like gaining weight – you hardly notice it until you get on the scales. If you need $30,000 per year today to live, at a level 4% inflation rate that would translate to $99,400 per year in 30 years; or $81,400 in 25 years’ time. Using this latter example if you retired at age 60 you would need to accumulate around $2.6 million to last you until age 100. That would mean saving an escalating amount of $2,000 per month for 25 years. If you defer this until only 15 years to retirement you would need to save around $6,000 per month. The thing to do is to start at what you can afford today and increase the Brian Johnson amount you save each year so that you are effectively hedging inflation. This makes it more palatable. But the later you leave it the more painful it will become. These realities are often surreptitiously overlooked in favour of a better lifestyle today. The secret is to balance your lifestyle and party sometimes but not every day.

You are also likely to need some guidance in establishing some sort of plan and projection into the future. Most young expats feel that a financial adviser is not appropriate for them and have the misconception that formal financial advice should be reserved for later in life. Nothing could be further from the truth. A professional adviser will guide you through all aspects of your requirements and be able to help in all facets of your own personal situation. He or she will work with you and should be patient in encouraging you to move forward into and through each phase of your financial life. The internet and the highly beneficial education it offers can be very useful. However, as much as there are positive aspects to what you read there are also negatives. Beware of the traps that lurk via people who are trying to operate scams. If you are attracted to some sort of investment or scheme which will make you a fortune in no time at all disbelieve it. If something appears too good to be true then it invariably is. Many of the things you read on the internet are exaggerated and stretch the truth. People also have a tendency to accept them as gospel, even though there is no real evidence to support claims. One of the best developing examples of this, as a comparison, is medical conditions. If you look up details of a specific condition you will likely get the wrong idea because the description is what could happen rather than what will more likely happen. People regularly condemn themselves to death after reading about the silly thing they have wrong, which is actually nothing at all. Meet your adviser in person. Get to know him or her. See their firm’s office. Meetings in Starbucks are all too common and really only prove that the person does not have a bona fide office for you to meet in, or something else to hide. Above all try to be pragmatic about your planning. If you make a list of all the aspects you need to look at, see if your adviser raises all these points and offers you longer term solutions for planning to take account of them. Do not be afraid to seek a second opinion from another adviser. Making sure you have a solid plan in place is key to successful financial planning and the younger you start the easier it will become for you. Using practical ideas is also essential. Don’t forget that plans like these will need regular review along the way to take account of changing conditions and circumstances. The only constant in life is change.

Questions to the author can be directed to PFS International on +7 495 9677648 or email to russia@fsplatinum.com

Business

Danish Business Club.

John Harrison

Finance

Day 2013

n the 22nd of November, 87 delegates filled the Danish embassy in Prechistensky Pereulok. This was the first ‘Finance Day’ organised by the Danish Business Club, EKF (Denmark’s official export credit agency) and the Royal Danish Embassy. According to Kasper Ditlevsen (Chairman of DBC), not the last “we were amazed by how many people wanted to come, we actually had to turn people away, so we will definitely be looking to organising another event like this next year.” After a welcome speech by the Danish Ambassador Thomas Winkler, Steen Grondhal, the Head of Corporate Banking International at Nordea, gave the first of two keynote speeches on the Global Macroeconomic situation. “The general feeling is that we have a turnaround, but we have still not reached anywhere near the level of growth that we enjoyed before the crisis.” His company predicts global growth to be “just under 4% this year, with even the ‘old world’ beginning to deliver results, with the exception of the Eurozone.” Steen mentioned that the Eurozone’s predicted growth rate of only 1% next year is in part due to

high labour costs. The other issue with Europe, Steen said, is the concept of Europe itself. “If there were to be elections tomorrow, France and The Netherlands would probably vote for far right parties which would vote not to stay in the EU. But raising trade barriers is not the way to solve the main problem, which is lack of growth.” Steen traced the current problems back to the collapse of the Soviet Union and rise of globalisation. “Entrepreneurs flocked Eastwards to make money, and many did, instead of investing in their own economies. When globalisation created the possibility of sitting comfortably at home whilst production was moved east, there seemed no reason to increase productivity at home. Then came the crisis, and as a result, countries live in debt. France, for example, has not balanced its books since 1974. Basically, Europe cannot afford to be as well off as it was before the Berlin wall came down, and this is something that many have not realised yet.” In America, Steen said, the level of personal debt has decreased, Americans are repaying their debts and the US consumer is back. The amount of disposable income that Americans need to pay off their debts is about 10%, which

Business is an acceptable amount. People are now less worried about losing their jobs than before, and so the whole consumer confidence train has started moving, and under the new chairwoman of the Central bank, tapering is likely to start this year, in a gradual process, however interest rates are likely to stay on hold until 2015. In general, Steen felt that growth in the US will outpace that of Europe. Steen’s forecast for oil prices was roughly flat. Steen saw the situation in Denmark improving, predicting growth returning to pre-crisis levels in 2017. The Russia story was carried on by Chris Weafer, senior partner of Macro-Advisory. Chris started off his presentation by indicating that developing markets in particularly China has been down played enough over last year, and that probably they will grow again quite strongly this year, as will dividend payments from Russian companies such as Gazprom. In contrast to the world wide view as in Russia, he said, “we have an opposite picture. We have a very strong balance sheet, with growth falling. The question is next year for the government, whether or not the right decisions are going to be made to encourage growth or whether we are looking at a decade of low growth.” “Clearly there is uncertainty as to what exactly is going to drive Russian growth in the future. It is no longer the oil price, nor is it the consumer, although retail is still comparatively good in Russia, but not enough to sustain

the economy. So there needs to be anew driver, and that driver has to come from a big pick up in investment both from Russian and from foreign investors. This will demand a restructuring of the economy. “Last year opportunities were missed in part due to continuing global uncertainty witnessed for example when Bernanke announced that tapering would start, which affected investment into emerging markets. There are a number of contradictions in Russia, for example, lending rates are far too high, about 17% if you are a small business or an individual, although the central bank’s basic rate is just over 6%. We are forecasting 1.8% growth next year. After the keynote speeches ended, delegates chose from 5 ‘cafes’ in different parts of the surprisingly large Danish embassy complex, each of which ran focus groups on a separate issue such as: short-term financing, medium to long term financing, public purchases, assessing the macro economic climate of Russia and establishing legal set-up in Russia, M&A, Tax &Business Location Services. Judging by the reaction of attendees, and the quality of the group leaders who were all practitioners in their own fields, the Danish Business Club was on target when it chose themes for the focus groups. They seemed to spark off general interest, and discussions were peppered wit real life examples and situations.

The Moscow Good Food Club has been created with intention to hold monthly dinners of high quality in some of Moscow’s better restaurants bringing together a diverse group of expats and Russians for a pleasant evening of excellent food, appropriate beverages and scintillating company! Attention Chefs/Restaurant Managers: Would you like to promote your skills and restaurant to our discerning members, please contact me for details! Kim@aigroup.ru

Business

What is Happening

Chris Weafer

he rouble has been losing value against both the US dollar and euro since the middle of last year and, of greater concern, the pace of decline quickened since the start of this year. People who are paid in roubles, or who have assets and savings denominated in roubles, have lost almost 15 percent in dollar terms and 18 percent in euro terms over the past twelve months. The question now is whether that slide will continue or whether the worst of the fall is now over? A former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Bank, Alan Greenspan, famously said that one has just as much success calling a coin toss as experts have trying to forecast currency exchange rates. His comment reflects the fact there are always many variables, both domestic and international, which can influence exchange rates. Right now there is an almost unprecedented set of variables which may have some role in determining where the rouble ends this year. I expect the Central Bank will have to battle all year to try and

to the Rouble? control currency volatility and to limit further losses. My forecast is that the ruble-US dollar rate will be close to 36.0 at the end of December, i.e. not too far off the mid-February level, although given the contagion from Ukraine the rate is very likely to over-shoot near term. The key is where the price of oil trades. If Urals crude stays above the $100 per barrel average, the risk of seeing a much weaker rouble is relatively low. But Urals trending towards $90 per barrel could easily see the rouble edge towards 38.0 by year end. The price of oil looks safe for now as the several wars and instability in Africa and the Middle East have resulted in approximately 1.5 million barrels of crude lost to the export market. Traders currently do not see any early resolution in any of those disputes. A fourth straight year of oil averaging close to $108 per barrel, therefore, seems likely and that, if it proves to be the case, will greatly help the Central Bank in its efforts. But watch the headlines; a breakout of peace in Libya or South Sudan, or an early removal of Iranian sanctions,

would hit the oil price and increase downward pressure on the ruble. Where the rouble ends the year against the euro will be more the result of the dollar-euro rate. The euro has been the stronger of the two worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two big currencies over the past year as eurozone economies recover and the threat of crisis appears to have passed. But a lot will depend on how fast the US Fed unwinds the quantative easing (QE) programme, which, in turn will depend on the pace of recovery in the US economy. A fast unwind will boost the appeal of the dollar and we could easily see a dollar-euro rate below $1.30 by year-end. That would imply a rouble-euro rate not much different to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rate. But if the Fed remains cautious then we could

Business

...The hope is that a period of calm will allow for a differentiation between the better positioned emerging economies and those with real problems see more stability in the dollar-euro rate and, as a consequence, a yearend rouble-euro rate of 50.0 or a little weaker. Why should the US Fed’s actions matter so much? The short answer is because the QE programme resulted

in hundreds of billions of dollars flowing into emerging economies since 2009, creating huge credit expansion which supported strong overall economic growth. As the Fed winds down QE the fear is that this money will return to US dollar assets and starve emerging economies of liquidity, thus creating credit problems and a drop in growth. To a large extent it is unfair to point the finger at the Fed. Governments across many emerging economies allowed the credit markets to grow unchecked because they were happy with the growth. Now the results of that lack of restraint are becoming clear. Warren Buffet once said “it is only when the tide goes out that you can see who has been swimming naked”. The Fed is pulling the dollar tide away from emerging economies. But is it right that the rouble should be treated in the same way as the Turkish lira or Brazilian real?

After all, Russia, unlike most other emerging economies, has both a trade and current account surplus and a very small budget deficit. Additionally, Russia has very low public debt exposure and holds the world’s fourth largest financial reserves. To a large extent investors are treating all EM assets as high risk for now. The hope is that a period of calm will allow for a differentiation between the better positioned emerging economies and those with real problems. The rouble should benefit from that review. Whether it does or not, or for how long, will depend on the Central Bank’s ability to balance the need to keep liquidity in the banking system, so as to help sustain investment and consumer activity, reduce inflation and manage rouble volatility. That is akin to juggling slippery pins while walking a tightrope in front of a critical and unforgiving audience.

Hotels

- Meet the Moscow hoteliers LOTTE Hotel is a relatively new arrival to Moscow’s community of luxury hotels, yet it is one of the most interesting. Moscow expat Life talks to General manager Morten Andersen, and to executive chef Johannes Nuding.

General Manager Morten Andersen

Morten, is this a new building? Yes, we opened in September 2010.

How many rooms do you have? 305.

What is the total size of your meeting/banquet facilities? Close to 3,000 square meters.

Is the hotel part of a chain? We are 100% foreign owned by a private company, the Korean LOTTE group. LOTTE is the 4th biggest company in Korea, we turn over about $85 billion a year, bigger than LG.

But LOTTE are not hoteliers as such? No, but we now own 11 hotels, and quite a few in the pipeline. This hotel is our first project outside of Korea, we have hotels coming up in China, a couple in Vietnam, in Guam. We are very actively searching for more hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Does the hotel have any unique features? Yes, our room product, and our restaurants. Our Royal Suite is the biggest hotel suite in Russia, and one of the biggest in Europe. It is in high demand from Russians but also from royal families from around the world.

Are you involved with any charities? We are, we help two orphanages which are actually outside the Moscow region, we hold a New Year’s Party for the children, and create activities for them in the

hotel. They are 100 and 200 kilometres away, so we go there as well. We donate food and clothes, and we help with the upkeep of the homes. A hotel is like a big village, we have bakers, electricians, butchers, painters, carpenters and all sorts. The orphanages house children of all ages up to 18. We try to help some of them by offering them work experience; giving them some real life experience, of what it takes to actually hold down a job.

How many staff in total do you have? How many expats? We have very few expats working for us in comparison to other international hotels in Moscow. We have speciality chefs in our French and Japanese restaurants. Because we are a Korean hotel, within the hotel we have three Korean managers, and my superior, who is the President of LOTTE in Russia. We employ a total of 350 staff in the hotel, plus another 100 temporary staff.

How do you recruit most of your staff? We mostly use our website. The industry in Russia is quite small, so people already in the hospitality business get to know about new openings by word of mouth. For more senior positions, we use an HR company.

What is your training policy? We have a policy of everybody receiving 24 hours of in-room training, plus daily on the job training. So we have a lot of training going on, because we take this very seriously. We use mainly our own in house Russian trainers, however we also employ a few foreigner trainers; from the UK in particular, for specific subjects.

Where are you from? I’m from Denmark, although I have not lived there for over 20 years. I studied with a hotel group in Denmark, as soon as I finished, literally the day after, I moved to London. I knew that I wanted to work in the international hotel industry, and Denmark which is a very small country, was not very international 20 years ago.

Hotels

Les Menus par Pierre Gagnaire restaurant Executive Chef: Johannes Nuding

Where did you work before? I stayed in London for 4-5 years, then one and a half years in a hotel near Birmingham. After that I moved to my first real expat position in Saudi Arabia, followed by positions in Bali, Jakarta. Malaysia, Borneo, Vietnam. Then I came here. So for the last 16-17 years I have been in the Middle East and Asia.

How long have you been working in Moscow? For two and a half years.

What are the largest challenges for a hotel General manager in Moscow? It is a challenge to find people who passionately want to work in the industry. The hotel industry world wide is not very well paid, you still see jobs for waiters advertised in the UK, for example, at £10,000 a year, which is ridiculous. The fact that you have to work weekends, nightshifts, during the May and New Year holidays—periods which are holy for many Russians—all tends to put people off. We would love to train and cultivate more hotel professionals here, but not so many people are prepared to put in the necessary number of years to reach a reasonable salary. This is a pity, because there will be a huge demand for qualified staff, and salaries will go up. All of the top Moscow hotels are constantly short of staff, so this is the biggest challenge.

What is the strangest situation that you have been confronted with in your career? There is no one thing, but working in the Middle East you see things that at first seem quite strange. But you get used to things. Things like people paying for events with bin liners of cash. In Vietnam, where it was so nice to see weddings going on in the hotel, people would make a great effort to dress up, and they would put on football boots because they were the only shoes that they had. But working in all of these places was a fantastic opportunity because I got to know so many people, including prime ministers, diplomatic communities, Hollywood stars and sports people, so you get to meet a lot of people.

Where are you from? Austria

Where did you train, which postings did you hold before Moscow? I trained and worked in Paris for 6 years before coming here, I also worked all over Europe, in Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

How many restaurants do you have in the hotel? For the Fine Dining sector, we have the Japanese style MEGU, we have the French Les Menus par Pierre Gagnaire, we also have the Lounge, which is a very relaxed, VIP eating place. In the summer we have a beautiful terrace, which is very exclusive, everybody can come, but which at the same time is very private,

What is the largest number of people that have eaten at the same time in your hotel? We have a lot of corporate parties booked throughout the year, and their guest lists are often over a thousand.

Tell us about the signature restaurant, what are it’s specialities? We have the Les Menus par Pierre Gagnaire, I worked with Pierre in Paris, we make a very interesting, modern approach to traditional French cuisine.

What is the strangest dish that you have been asked to prepare? Nothing surprises me after working in Paris for 6 years. Being in Russia, perhaps it is not what people request to eat, because we have done everything, it is other things, such as request to have a lion on the floor during a marriage, or guests who want to eat live fish. Somebody asked me for a steak well done, to me that’s strange, but voila, that’s my opinion. People have lot of really strange ideas, but nothing ever shocks you anymore, we’ve seen everything.

Hotels

Royal Suite at Lotte

Hotel Moscow S

eptember 2010 saw the opening of Lotte Hotel Moscow, part of the Lotte Hotels & Resorts group. Founded in South Korea in 1979, the group manages eleven hotels in Asia and lays claim to be the largest operator in the region. Lotte Hotel Moscow, the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first hotel project in Europe, is located at the intersection of Novinsky Boulevard and New

Arbat, next to the Lotte Plaza retail complex. The hotel offers 300 rooms, including 61 suites, of which the Royal Suite, occupying 490 m2, is unprecedented for Russia. Striving to express fully the harmonious combination of Asian luxury and European elegant functionality, Lotte Hotels & Resorts invited the world-famous design company HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates to join its team.

The Royal Suite in Moscow occupies an area of 490 m2 and combines bedroom, bathroom with sauna, sitting room, conference hall, dining room, study, office and guest room. The suite is designed in a contemporary interpretation of the traditional eastern style, with classical Korean trends in architecture complemented by western aesthetic designer

Hotels

solutions. The colour range in the suite is soft and calming, with a predominance of creams and gold hues, subtly contrasting with brown shades. A sense of luxury is created thanks to unique, handmade silk and woollen rugs, the very highest quality in Italian furniture, designed especially for the hotel, natural silk fabrics and refined gold candelabras. The bathroom interior contains

items made to individual order and reflects the overall style of the suite, complementing it with honey shades of onyx and granite. The bathroom is fitted with a jacuzzi and opens up a picturesque vista over the city. When guests check into the suite, the hotel dedicates a special team of professionals, who ensure the comfort and respond instantly to the every wish of the guests.

The Royal Suite has hosted heads of state, political figures, high-ranking diplomats, celebrities and simply those who value luxury and comfort. One of the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advantages is its ability to cater for the large number of people who usually accompany a guest on a visit of national significance. Moscowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal Suite designed by HBA has total investment into the project over USD 5 million.

Fashion

he arrival of Spring heralds a time of reawakening and rejuvenation. The warm sunlight, fresh air, and blooming beauty of the outdoors ignite a desire to cleanse and beautify our homes, well, seemingly every room except our closets. Instead of cleaning out our closets, we shove all our winter gear and new spring purchases into our already overflowing closets. The result â&#x20AC;&#x201C; immediate clutter and future frustration. Why do we do this? Because our minds have fooled us into believing that closet cleansing is an insurmountable task. I can assure you it is not. Admittedly, closet cleansing and replenishing is not a task you want to take on blindly. You will need a tactical approach to make this an efficient and rewarding experience. A revamped and organized closet is not only a beautiful thing, but also a source of inspiration and a place of transformation. So this spring take the opportunity to breathe new energy into your life by way of your wardrobe with these three tried and tested steps.

3 STEPS

k by Ria van Dij

TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR WARDROBE

The first step in spring-cleaning your wardrobe is to get rid of clutter. This includes all the items that you have no use for anymore. Purge The quickest way to do this is to completely empty your closet while simultaneously creating three piles: 1) Keep Pile. These are the items you cannot live without. They fit properly and you are confident that you will wear them in the near future. 2) Donate Pile1. These are the used items you no longer need but they are still in good enough condition to be appreciated by others. 3) Alter Pile. This pile should contain only the items that you are certain you will get altered. Do not give into the temptation to keep items that you may or

Step 1.

Organizations such as the International Women Club of Moscow (iwcdonations@yahoo.com) and the American Women Association (awomoscow@gmail.com) would be happy to find new homes for your gently used items.

Fashion may not wear someday. Be assertive, either you should take them to a tailor within 3 weeks or it goes into the Donate Pile. 4) Discard Pile. These are the items that show severe wear and tear that neither you nor others can gain any meaningful use from. Once you have completed this task, you can now place all items for charity and alterations in separate bags. Do not place items to be altered back into your closet, because the out-of-sight rule usually rings true in this case. Place this bag out in the open so that you will remember to take it to the tailor. The discard pile can be taken immediately to the trash, so all you are left with are the items you will keep. Take this moment to give your closet a thorough cleaning; dust shelves, vacuum drawers and floor, wipe hangers etcâ&#x20AC;Ś Now that your closet is clean it is ready to be restocked properly. To do this, you must evaluate the items in your Keep Pile by function. First separate everything by season and set all fall/ Evaluate winter items aside to be stowed away. Categorize your spring/summer items by type; all dresses, all blouses, all jackets etcâ&#x20AC;Ś Evaluate each piece of clothing for stains, missing buttons, small nicks etc. You can then place all items in need of cleaning in a separate pile to take to the dry-cleaners, and can repair missing buttons and nicks on the spot (or transfer items to the Alter Pile). Also, this is a great opportunity to note items needed to complete your ensembles and replenish your closet. So have pen and paper at hand to write down your Spring Shopping List.

Step 2.

Now that those are out of the way, start working on your spring/summer items. Place all items that wrinkle easily on hangers, and fold knits and jerseys. Once these tasks are complete, restock your closet. A great trick professional closet Organize organizers use is to separate each category by color. For example, group all white dresses together, all black dresses all blue dress together etc. This creates a uniform look and makes it easier to quickly create matching ensembles. Do not forget to take note of any additional storage gear you might need. You may find hangers, storage bins and other closet storage essentials at stores such the Ikea and Metro Cash and Carry. Add a few air fresheners and voila, you are done. Now breathe in that sweet aroma of success. Clothing are clearly visible, neatly organized, and Pack away all fall/winter items. Hope chests, chest within easy reach. You are now equipped with a clean of drawers, and regular chests make particularly great and well-organized wardrobe that compliments the storage spaces for bulky winter items such as sweaters elements of spring. and coats. Boots and other winter shoes should be cleaned and stored in storage bins or lined neatly at the back of the closet.

Step 3.

.M w w w

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Moscow Personalities

Michael Craig You can purchase Michael’s films on: www.copernicusfilms.com More information about Michael Craig is available on: about.me/michaelcraig

How did your adventure with Russia begin? It started off completely accidentally when I decided to learn Russian at school. I liked the language and Russian literature and carried on with it until I was 16. I then took my Russian exams and forgot all about it. About 20 years ago, I was working on a feature film in Warsaw, and made some friends there, who introduced me to an actor called Sigmund who was in Polansky’s first film, “Knife in the Water”. At that time Sigmund Malanowicz was making films in Minsk as an actor and director, making films for $60,000, when the going rate at the time was $1 million-$2 million for even a low budget film. He didn’t speak English, but he did speak Russian and I really wanted to talk to him but it was difficult. This whole experience made me want to get my Russian back again. Then the possibility of participating in a film, a BBC drama in St. Petersburg came up. So I made a real effort, found a teacher and got my Russian up to some kind of level, and found myself in St. Petersburg in 1993. We worked on that BBC drama production in St. Petersburg for nearly four months, and I worked as a film accountant. By that time I had already decided that I would come and live in Russia and make films. I spent

There are some expats who have been living here all these years and quietly getting on with their creative careers. Over the last 18 years, Michael Craig has managed to create six benchmark films on the Russian avant-garde for western audiences, and is still going Intervi ew by J strong. ohn Ha rrison

some time researching different themes, and eventually settled on making films about the Russian avant-garde of the 20s and 30s which I find to be very interesting. I then stumbled across Alexander Rodchenko, the great Russian photographer, artist and designer from that period. That gradually morphed into a whole series of six films about the avant-garde. After the ‘Rodchenko and the Russian Avant-garde’, I made a film about Mayakovsky, then one about Vsevolod Meyerhold, the theatre director. A film about Kandinsky

followed, and the last one was a film about David Burliuk who was the Father of Russian Futurism. We went to Japan to film that because I chose a period when Burliuk lived there for two years. Burliuk put on exhibitions of his own work in Japan as well as promoting the work of other Russian avant-garde painters, before he travelled on to America in 1922. The next film was about Stanislavsky, which came about in a completely unexpected way. I was showing the film about Meyerhold to a group of people at the Rose Bruford College of Acting and

Moscow Personalities Performance in London, and they suggested making a film about Stanislavsky because they have the biggest Stanislavsky archives in Europe outside of Russia. I said I didn’t know if I could make a film about Stanislavsky, and they said: would you like to see our archives? I said OK, and they showed me a whole room with original posters and photographs, scripts, documents, all about Stanislavsky. We are hoping to premier it in London about the end of April.

cheaply; because you can shoot and edit them yourself. I write everything, research the relevant material and basically anything I can do myself. The only real problem I worry about now is sound. That’s quite a specialist thing, but I’ve managed to do most of that myself. I have my own studio set up now in Moscow, which I use to make my films, and to help other people make theirs. All of this helps with finance. Some of my films have also been shown on television.

How do you finance your films?

What do you want to do next?

I am able to sell copies of the films I make over Amazon, and also on DVDs. Downloading is becoming more and more important. I follow and participate in exhibitions all over the world, for example in the Tate Modern in

I have just finished a mini-series of films on the Russian theatre. So there is a film about Meyerhold and Stanislavsky and Vakhtangov, who were the main players in that particular period. I’m afraid I can’t talk specifically about my next project today, but I am

watch when you are exhausted and need to recharge your batteries? I don’t necessarily refer to people only from the film world. There are people from the world of Art, not only film makers but artists and writers from the period of Russian history which I am interested in. Out of the film makers that I like, I am most inspired by is Tarkovsky. I know this sounds like cliché, however I do think that he was one of the world’s greatest directors. If you watch a film like Andrei Rublyev, which is about a Russian icon painter in the 14th -15th centuries, you come to understand that this is something magnificent and visually stunning.

Western documentary films seem to run at a faster speed than their Russian equivalents. Russian documentary films seem to be ‘, but you are producing films primarily for the English speaking western market, is this a problem? I have struggled with this problem since I got here. But all the films I make are very specific and are viewed by a certain niche audience. However, in some ways I am quite surprised that the films are accepted by the wide audience that they have, especially in Europe. It is difficult translating the Russian experience into western terms.

You have family here? London, The Guggenheim and other galleries in Europe. There was an exhibition in London of Rodchenko’s photographs which lasted for three months. In these sorts of exhibitions you have an already interested audience, and the DVDs were sold through the shop there.

So you are not making films for the silver screen, you are creating a product that you can distribute yourself? Yes, this is completely different. These days you can make films very

looking towards doing something more ambitious, maybe based on a specific play from that period which would fit in very well with all my other past projects. Of course there are finance problems, and the bigger the project the more problems there are, especially when you have been used to working the way that I have, when I am not used to people saying: “you can’t do that because it is going to cost too much…”

Which great film maker(s) do you really respect, who do you read about, who’s films do you

Yes, my wife is Russian, she has been a big influence in my life. She’s a ceramic artist and master of ikebana, and there are many over-lapping areas of interest. We went to Japan together and in a sense we work as a team. I also am very pleased to have Russian friends who help me a great deal. So that has been a big input into my work. At the same time I believe in paying properly for professionalism. I have worked with a well-known cameraman here on two films, Slava Sachkov, and I always pay him what the going rate is. He is at the top of the documentary film making world here.

Moscow Personalities

“I Like to Make Dreams a Reality…” Bob Van Ronkel is one of Moscow’s unique individuals whose dreams have indeed come true.

el Bob Van Ronk

Interview by John Harrison

What bought you to Moscow? I first came to Moscow in 1998, when a Russian producer I had met in Los Angeles asked me if I could help him distribute a movie he had made, which he had shot in English. Then he came back a few months later and said that Mayor Luzhkov wanted to build multiplex cinemas in Russia, and could I help organise some meetings with Hollywood studios? So I helped arrange for Luzhkov to meet Warner Brothers studio in 1998.

How did the Doors To Hollywood project come about? All by accident. I had started to get into the film production business a year prior to that in Los Angeles, but before that I had been in real estate, the restaurant business, many other things. After that trip to Moscow, Renat Davletyarov, the General Director of Nikita Mikhalkov’s Moscow International Film Festival contacted me and asked if I could help bring an actor to Russia for the Festival. At that time, I only knew two actors in Hollywood, one of them was Martin Landau, who I convinced to come with me. It was a great time, a great Festival and they hired me the next year as a consultant. The following year, 2000, I brought the president of Paramount Pictures, Sherry Lansing, director Billy Friedkin and E-Television to broadcast the festival in the US. The third year I

got lucky and was able to get Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Lara Boyle, Woody Harrelson and Peta Wilson, to come. I stayed an extra month because I loved Russia so much and during that month, Jim Carrey flew in on his private jet to hang out with me for a week and during that extra month the media started to interview me and write about what I was doing, and then the well-to-do Russians started contacting me and asking if I could bring actors and bands to their parties and events, and that was how I started.

Parties became a main line of your work? One of the first deals that I had was to bring John Malkovich and Dolph Lundgren for a Russian producing company that had opened an office in LA and wanted to announce in Russia that they were raising money to produce Hollywood films. That was the first non-festival deal, and then shortly after that, one of the most wealthy Russians at the time gave an event planner and me a $7 million budget to throw a seven day birthday party for him as he was turning 30. So we took over the

Grand Lido Bracco Resort in Jamaica, invited 150 guests, and bought over Kiss, Nazareth, The Scorpions, Sugar Ray, a magician, some actors and flew in carnival from Brazil. Then his partner asked us if we could organise his 34th birthday, which was a $3 million, three day event in Cannes. Shortly after that, in 2002, I realised that nobody would pay me to do any of this in the US, so I decided that I’d move to Russia. After being here for 6 months I got the idea of opening a company called Doors to Hollywood, which would help bring Hollywood to Russia.

So you became known as Mr Hollywood in Russia? Yes, that’s exactly what happened. I hadn’t been doing that in LA, I didn’t know anybody in that business and by accident, Russia opened that door for me. 10 years later I have over 100 friends who are actors, famous directors, Hollywood agents and heads of the biggest bands and most of them I can call on their cell phones. Growing up in Hollywood, and living within miles of them, I had never met them or had any reason to contact or work with them, until I moved to Russia.

Moscow Personalities Do you get involved in production work here in Russia? In 10 years I have done over 300 deals, besides bringing over 100 actors and bands, I produced the Odessa Jazz Festival three years in a row and raised sponsorship financing for them, I organised the Hiro Yamagata MDM Bank laser exhibition, which was a million dollar project and lit up the Neva river with laser lights for President Putin’s administration during

the 300 year anniversary of St. Petersburg. I’ve put Hollywood actors into Russian movies, I’ve put Russian actors and musicians into Hollywood movies, and I’ve put Hollywood actors into Russian music videos and commercials. I just took Antonio Banderas to Kazakhstan to do a commercial for the biggest bank there Kaspi; which Antonio is now the face of, so really I am doing casting, producing, whatever people need. I call myself a producer, but everyone’s calling me a power broker because of my access here to Presidents, government and people around them here, not only in Russia, but in some of the other countries of the previous Soviet Union. I think everyone that I have worked with departs wishing that they weren’t going. I used to think it was only the men, but now after bringing so many actresses, models and female singers here, I realise that they all had amazing times visiting this part of the world.

What about the other way, taking Russian talent to Hollywood?

Over the years I have been asked by so many people: why aren’t you taking Russian stars to Hollywood? This is what has given me the idea, over the past 6 months to open up the Doors to Hollywood Acting Academy. What is the point in me taking Russian actors to Hollywood if they can’t act properly on film or on television or they have such heavy accents that they can’t be understood? Without a doubt, Russians are incredible actors, here, but they also have to understand what an American director is telling them,

and work within the norms of the western acting profession. The transition to Hollywood film and television is a real challenge, and we can help Russians do that. Some Russian producer friends tell me that well known Russian actors sometimes have difficulty in switching from one role to another, because they are so strong as individuals, they tend to role play their character over and over. I am talking about kids from drama school, even children as well as well known actors. They will be taught English by American English teachers, and stage and camera craft by people who understand the US television and film industries. Many people think they want to act, but are not sure that the acting profession is for them, so our four month beginners course will give them the chance to find out if they want to continue to the intermediate and then advanced. But if they do decide to go ahead, we can give them the basic training they need for film and television not just in Russia, but in the US as well. With all the great teachers, theatre schools

and Universities in Russia, Russia doesn’t need us to teach students how to act in the theatre, so our focus is film and television. This is a long-term project but my dream is that many Russian actors studying with us will someday be able to work in any movie and anywhere in the world, because they won’t have that heavy accent and they will understand more fully what US directors want from them. I like to make dreams a reality and that has always been my number one challenge and goal in life.

What do you really like about Russia? The thing I love the most about Russia is that everyday is a new day. Every day I wake up here, it’s like my first day here. I never know who’s going to call, what the deal’s going to be, what somebody needs. It wouldn’t be the same in L.A. I don’t know any other country that has more beautiful women, I’ve never been married and so that is a motivation. It’s a dream come true. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a great life and job here in Russia.

What don’t you like about Russia? First, the traffic. Second, I don’t understand anything anybody is saying, so that’s a little difficult; I try to order chicken and get a steak. I can’t get the vegetables and the speciality foods I like. I’m still bringing so much food here every year, like Wishbone salad dressing and Star-Kist Tuna. The weather is not something that fills me with great inspiration. These are the four negatives to go with the 100 positives.

Moscow Personalities

Brigadier General, Peter B. Zwack, United States Army pova

Po Julia y b iew

v Inter

Moscow Expat Life was honoured to interview Brigadier General Peter Zwack, the US Defense Attaché to Russia, in his home at the American embassy compound in Moscow. He spoke about his life here in Russia, his work and his family.

Julia: How long have you been in Russia? Brigadier General (BG): We’ve been in Russia almost 18 months – time moves so fast here!

Julia: What has surprised you about Russia? BG Zwack: I first came to the then USSR in 1989. I studied in Kalinin - now Tver - for most of that summer. This was during glasnost and I was able to freely meet Russian students and easily travel around by train and bus. After that, I was in Russia quite often in the 1990s and visited the Far East and Siberia. I was even able to rent a Lada in Moscow and drive to summer Sochi. The changes I’ve observed from then are huge when looking at the availability and the quality of goods, what people are wearing and eating, the rebirth of religion, their expectations and expression of ideas, the improved distribution, the sheer wealth of inner Moscow, so much. These are major changes to somebody who remembers Russia and long lines back in the late Soviet/ early democratic period.

Julia: Do you like Russia? BG Z: I like Russia a lot, especially the Russian people and its distinctive culture. I really do despite our difficult challenges at times. I’ve also been studying your history and culture

my whole life. I really believe that when you get past the politics, at the human level Russians and Americans get along very well and have more in common than not. So I think it’s all going to take a little time, maybe another half to full generation, to get rid of some residual distrust out there, but I think we are going get there.

Julia: I am interested in your history. First of all, your surname – Zwack. It sounds Hungarian? BG Z: My mother’s side is what you would call Anglo-Scots-Irish. My father’s side was indeed Hungarian. It is more a German Dutch surname but the family moved to Hungary probably in the 1600-1700s and you are exactly right. It is most associated with Hungary.

Julia: I know there is a famous Hungarian liquor company called Zwack. Does it relate to your family? BG Z: Yes, that was on my father’s side. The company has been in the family for two hundred years since 1790. It is a long history. But I grew up as a good American boy in Chicago.

Julia: Was your father an ambassador? BG Z: You’ve done your Google research well! My father fled communism in 1948, lived in the west, and rebuilt the family spirits company in Italy that had been nationalized in Budapest. And then when things really started changing he was invited back to Hungary in 1988 where he regained control

Moscow Personalities of the old company. He was very much an entrepreneur, very much an American, and very proud of his American citizenship. To make a long story short when the socialist government transformed he was asked to represent the newly democratic nation of Hungary as Ambassador to the United States. That was almost a miracle story. But it was very hard for him because to do that he had to give up his hardearned American citizenship.

Julia: Did your father influence your career choice?

Then I went to the University of Denver where I was a very average student. That was when I started playing serious Lacrosse as a goalie. Little did I know that then modest Denver lacrosse would become a lacrosse powerhouse ranking #2 in the nation last year! I graduated in 1978, and went to Florence, Italy for two years to work in the wine business. I had no idea then I was going to join the Army. At that time the US was facing some major global challenges and I wanted to contribute. It came down to a choice between the Military and the Peace Corps. Anyway, one

there I went to the Army Airborne and Ranger schools. I became a combat intelligence officer meaning my job was to study what the other guys were doing. I served three years in Korea, a year in Kosovo and was recently in Afghanistan for yet another year.

Julia: Did you command there? BG Z: I did command units overseas at the company, battalion and brigade levels. To be able to lead young men and women has been one of the great honors of my life. I learned that every single person in life regardless of rank or position has a story to tell if you sit down and listen. I learned to listen, and that respecting human dignity is everything. In the military you have to be firm as well. And finding the balance of all of that was always the big challenge. I did not always succeed. But it was a lifetransforming experience.

Julia: Your career is not yet finished?

BG Z: One of my motivations for joining the Army was to challenge myself and to somehow contribute. The US gave so much to my family when they were refugees. My father came to the US via Ellis Island with nothing. So maybe deep down this was a reason for joining, to thank our own system for allowing these types of amazing things to happen.

hot summer day I walked into a recruiting station in downtown New York’s Greenwich Village and asked the recruiting Sergeant, a proud Vietnam veteran, to tell me about the Army. Shortly thereafter I signed my enlistment, and a month later I found myself in big training area in New Jersey called Fort Dix with my longish hair shorn. I turned twenty-six there.

Julia: Where did you go to military school and what followed next?

Julia: How did your career develop?

BG Z: My first ten years were spent in Chicago, and my teen years in New York City going to school in Manhattan. This was the late 1960s and early 1970s when everything was crazy during the Vietnam period. Many civil rights issues were bubbling and it was the time of the hippies.

BG Z: I didn’t go to a military academy. I went to something called Officer Candidate School (OCS). I knew when I signed up as a college graduate that if I survived basic training as a private and all the prerequisites they would send me to OCS. You go to the school for four months and then they make you a Second Lieutenant. From

BG Z: It’s a big question. I’ve served for 33 years already. And the joke is that I joined the army for just 3 years. My plan was to challenge myself, contribute and return to the wine business. I don’t know what exactly happened. But I don’t regret it and I encourage young people that have a desire to serve in some way to consider at least a year of national service in some form. It doesn’t have to be the military; it could be the Peace Corps, a NGO, inner-city schools, or building highways somewhere. Though I am an old broken goalie this great game still allows me to address my competitive instincts in a positive way. And I love teams. Maybe that’s why I love the military, and why I like to be a part of an embassy team here because our Embassy here in complex Russia is a true team. And teaming here isn’t just a military thing, it’s the coordinated efforts of a multi-agency group of dedicated people led by a great forwardthinking Ambassador and State Department led Country Team.

Moscow Personalities Julia: How did it happen that you are connected with Russia? BG Z: Up until two years ago I never knew I would serve in Russia. It was a great honor to be asked. I’ve been interested in vast Russia and its history ever since my late mother took me as a little boy to see Eisenstein’s “Alexander Nevsky.” A Russian scholar at Columbia University she was a major influence to me and lived long enough to see me arrive here which gave her great joy. In 1988 I was given the opportunity by the Army to seriously study your rich and complex language and became a Russian Foreign Area Officer. I still don’t speak Russian as well as I’d like to, but here I am.

Julia: What does your normal working day look like? BG Z: We are busy. It is never dull here…ever. I spend a lot of time visiting Russian individuals and offices across the Russian Ministry of Defense and General Staff. We travel a lot. We also have great links among the vibrant foreign Defense Attaché group here and also speak to a number of your very smart think-tank people so we can try to get a better understanding how things are and how we can better engage and relate in a positive way.

Julia: Now I’d like to ask about your love story. How did it start? BG Z: We’ve been married for 20 years, and Stephanie has been with me for about 13 moves. This is typical for many military’s families. I met my incredible wife during my Garmisch language studies in 1989 when she was running one of the military recreation hotels there. We married in Austria, because of my Hungarian roots. My children are world travelers. My oldest daughter was born in Augsburg, Germany; my son was born as a local American in Kansas and then my младшая дочка was born in South Korea. And that kind of reflects where we have been. She supports me in everything that I do and patiently tries to keep me out of trouble.

Peter holds in his hands a model spacecraft I like to have Russians over and sometimes I show them this model of the 1975 Apollo and Soyuz linkup. This meant so much between our countries. The symbolism of Apollo and Soyuz linked together in the космос during the Cold War explains so much. It’s all about possibilities! Somehow we were able to get our scientists to sit down together and develop something that was beyond our worldly troubles. We trusted each other enough that in a completely inhospitable environment we made the airlocks fit. Do you realize how much detail, technology and trust was needed for that 40 years ago? But in my mind this isn’t just the past. This represents the future when our nations can aspire together and do great things. I like telling that to my Russian friends.

Julia: What are your personal emotions about living in Moscow? BG Z: I like it more here than I don’t. I do have my difficulties here by nature of the position I hold. Face to face contacts with my Russian interlocutors are almost always cordial and professional even while discussing sensitive and complex topics. My family enjoys living in Russia. We try to get out and do cultural things. This past summer we drove to Italy in our Honda minivan across European Russia via Tula and Orel and into Ukraine. We also went to Tver by Elektreechka and

spent a long weekend there including swimming the Volga.

Julia: Misunderstanding seems to abound now. Is there hope for both sides to come together and understand each other? BG Z: Anybody in the United States and Russia under 35 barely remembers the Cold War and its immediate aftermath. I think it will take another half to full generation to move past its difficult memories. Our traveling youth, the internet and all the social media with its exchange of ideas and aspirations are helping to bring us together. It is hard sometimes because of long-standing misperceptions that only contact and dialogue can solve. We both increasingly face common potentially existential threats as we did as Allies 70 years ago. Just look at the recent tragic terror events in Boston and Volgograd. We recognize that your nation’s clock was restarted in the 1991, and these things take time. It is a great honour to be here representing my country in yours, and I, we, will do everything we can to build bridges, maintain existing bridges and work towards better future.

Julia: What will you do next? BG Zwack: When I’ve done with all of this I won’t be able to just sit still. I have to remain involved somehow, engaged in something that is greater than just my material life. I don’t know maybe teaching young students the lessons of history, write several books I have in mind, and coach lacrosse.

Repat

Repat Sergei Markov y ew b i v r e Int

ison

arr hn H

Sergei, who are you? I’m a Russian who was born here, went to school here and lived here for 26 years. Then I got on a plane and went to New York without a ticket back.

What year was that? It was 1991, right after the coup.

What happened after you moved to New York? I stayed there for 17 years. When I arrived I didn’t have a job and did not have permission to get a job. Before I went to America I had a good job and had received a good education. I had a job at BP exploration as executive assistant to the CEO, I left all this behind. I was not challenged, I was bored. In America I started to look for jobs in the New York Times. After 6 months of cleaning cars and brushing up leaves in New Jersey, I found a job on 63rd Madison as a Russianspeaking secretary. When they met me they hired me as a manager in an investment-related job for a company that was doing business with Russia, which I was very glad to get.

What about your personal life? When Russians emigrate to the US, many become clustered in a Russian-speaking environment,

Sergei Markov is a Russian who left for New York in 1991, and returned in 2009. In this interview Sergei shares with Moscow expat Life some of his reasons for leaving and then returning, as well as his reflections on modern Russian life. leaning towards Brighton Beach and surrounding areas, or you have to forget where you are from and become American. Some people go to extremes and change their name, and become Sam or Jon or whatever, and they become totally involved. In general, business is not a problem; the social and cultural aspects are a major challenge. You have to totally stop communicating with Russians and make Americans your friends. Having an accent is the least of your worry. So I decided to become an American. It took me two years to realise that in fact I would never ever become an American, and there are many reasons why I couldn’t do that. One of the reasons is that I do not want to give up what’s called heritage, point of view, mode of thinking, attitudes to life, money, and friendship. Things that are treated very differently in the United States. In this respect, Russians there are closer to the Hispanic community, or even to the Black community. I’m talking about the way they communicate, and loyalty to friends. Russians are acceptable mostly only to intellectual Americans; to people who have a wide outlook.

What made you stay so long? It was mostly a set of circumstances. Firstly because my employers offered to sponsor me for an H1 working visa. After my initial

success, I changed my job three times, looking for better conditions and hoped that somebody would sponsor me for a green card, but nobody did. I ended up marrying somebody who didn’t have American citizenship, and when she eventually got it, she refused to sponsor me. I did get custody of my very young daughter child, but only after three years, as I was then illegal without working papers. It then took me another two years to get a green card and a proper job. After 5 years of doing odd jobs I got a position in an investment bank in New York. As soon as I got the green card I was on a plane to Moscow within a week on business. I then started a series of non-stop New York-Moscow travelling, on business. I made that trip 25 times. Eventually in 2009 we (myself and my daughter) moved back to Russia.

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Repat What made you move back? The main reason I left the US was the same very reason I left Moscow in 1991; because I wasn’t challenged. It was never my intention to work in a large firm and move up the corporate ladder. I always worked with entrepreneurs in smaller situations. I founded a 3D animation company. We did 3D virtual manuals instead of print manuals. I felt I had learned everything I could in social and business life. In a way, being a Russian was an advantage in America, because, for example, people would put me through to the right person when I phoned them because I had a foreign name. For me, everything changed after 9/11. New York became a different place for a year. People became friendly, but it was a turning point for me in the United States. New York and America was castrated on that day. I think 9/11 was the end, and the beginning of something new. For the first year and a half after I moved back, I worked for the same firm that I was working for in New York, doing the same kind of things. I am very happy to be here. I haven’t regretted a single day after returning. I now have no desire at all to live in the US. To visit, yes, but to live, no. There are many reasons.

What about your daughter, do you think that moving back here would be right for her? I knew that I would move back, but it took me a long time to get a green card and look after my legal situation. As an expat, I visited 40 private schools in New York to see which one would be the best one for my daughter. Then an opportunity came up to put her in the Russian school at the permanent mission at the UN in New York. The teachers are Russian, and the teaching methods are Russian. I saw a unique opportunity for my daughter to assimilate the Russian way of life whilst living in the US. She went to kindergarten with black girls, I

deliberately put her in a multi-ethnic environment for three years. My daughter is the kind of person: where I am going, she is happy to go too. So when she went to school here in Moscow, it was a relatively small transition.

What were the main difficulties for you settling back into life here? The biggest difference and difficulty is that there is a completely different mode of thinking here. Even after four years back in Russia, I don’t think like my Russian friends who are business people. On a linguistic level, I don’t formulate my sentences in proper grammatical order, which relates to thinking, because I think very structurally. English is a very structural language, very logical. Being a linguist, I can analyse this from different points of view. Speaking and thinking in a logical manner means you are likely to act like that. The side effect of this is that sometimes people here don’t understand me when I speak Russian. My daughter is experiencing the same thing at school. She is getting a hard time at times. Many Russians who have returned here, and some of them return and then go back, say that the streets are dirty, people are rude, people’s word in business doesn’t mean anything, but all of these things didn’t bother me at all. I was in New York, and that city is ten times more competitive than Moscow. I remember catching myself walking to the traffic lights and realising that I was racing to reach them with other people walking down the street. Here there is competition, but there it is cut throat.

What about corruption? It is what it is. You either accept this or you don’t accept this. Of course it is worse than in New York, and it’s everywhere here. This is Russia, the land of unlimited opportunities. If you live here, you have to accept this, otherwise you are going to be in continuous spiritual conflict with yourself. But things are changing.

For example; the cops. I think that over the last few years, their working conditions are getting better and so on. There is less corruption. I found that money, as a motivating force, greed – one of the seven sins – is much less developed here than in the States. I have a tremendous respect for America, for an open society, for entrepreneurship, but at the same time, American society gives its citizens a blank check to greed. There are no moral, legal or social barriers to check this somehow. It’s promoted under different banners, like ‘success’ and so on. I find this a big difference. For me, you can see this in the existence or absence of certain words in both languages. For example the Russian word достойный, does not mean the same thing as decency in English, neither does порядочный. You can describe these concepts but not quite in the same way. The absence or presence of certain words is a reflection of what a society stands for, in a way. On the other hand, there is one quality, which I wish people here had, and that is a ‘can do’ attitude. And there are many reasons for this, which can be traced back to a Slavic historical background and serfdom. I remember when I came back, and I had an analyst working for me in Moscow, I said to him that we have to get hold of Potanin to ask him about something. The analysts asked me how on earth this was going to be possible, I said: “just watch.” I got on the phone and called him up. Russia today, in many ways, is still a non-monetary, non-fiscal society. I think that needs to be nurtured and sustained, but at the same time, knowing the very direct line between business and everything else, you have to face reality. As far as my daughter and other children who come back here are concerned; they have a dual identity, they see that the East Coast films, TV, music is incomparably good there, and the Russian equivalents are bad. At the same time, socially at school, they are seen as outsiders, so it’s a challenge, but we will manage.

Health

CHANGES IN DENTISTRY,

IN THE LAST 20 YEARS On the occasion of US Dental Care’s 20th anniversary, Chief Doctor, Alla Anastos, reflects on how dentistry, dental technology and the clinic has changed during this time. US Dental Care was established in 1994 as the first American clinic in Moscow. Originally, all the doctors were American although clients were evenly split between Russian and Expatriates, living in Moscow. It is interesting to see how much dentistry has changed since we started - in every context - procedures, technology and patient care. Twenty years ago, we would take heroic measures to try and save a questionable tooth - with no guarantee of success. These days, we usually replace it with an implant once the prognosis is 50 -60%. Although we were up to date with the best technology and equipment available at the time, in 1994, we would never have imagined, that we would have our own CAT scanner machine at the clinic. Using this 3D technology has changed what the dentists can actually see and so allows us to diagnose problems far more quickly and accurately. Our patients benefit from this with fewer surgical procedures and interventions necessary to save problem teeth. When a tooth can’t be saved, implants are the best option as they are safe, predictable and attractive. We are proud of the efforts we make to keep US Dental Care up to date with all new technological and medical innovations available. Our doctors regularly attend seminars and conferences. Cosmetic dentistry is more prevalent than 20 years ago. Having the ‘perfect smile’ is more attainable now and a third of all orthodontic patients are adults.

Dr Alla Anastos

Invisalign is an increasingly popular solution for adults and the newer bracket systems move teeth faster. The newest technology combining orthodontic treatment with periodontal treatment now shortens time required for orthodontic procedures. Even patient care has developed over 20 years - at US Dental, we consider the care of your teeth a team effort - between the dentist, hygienist and the patient. We develop a Treatment Plan with all our new patients and discussing priorities, procedures and timings. Information is available to our patients at the clinic and on our webpages so they can make informed choices and decisions. We see that there is less fear and anxiety connected with visiting the dentist in 2014 - our dentists are friendly and approachable and happy to reassure patients and answer their questions. All our doctors speak both English and Russian and we even have an excellent anesthesiologist available to help nervous patients if necessary. At US Dental Care, we consider ‘Prevention is Better than Cure’ and so we have an education programme for schools. We encourage our patients to see our hygienist three or four times a year and for a check up every six months. US Dental Care 7/5 Bolshaya Dmitrovka str. 125009 Moscow Telephone: +7 (495) 933 8686

Health

NIKOLSKAYA HEALTH CLUB T

he Nikolskaya Health Club is a 2,500 square meter complex in the Nikolskaya Plaza, which is situated right in the heart of Moscow not far from the Kremlin. This is the first health club in Moscow which is geared for both fitness and preventative health programmes. The concept of our health program is unique because of its complex approach to health resumption. It is based on creative unification of European classical medicine and traditional Russian methods of health improvement, recovery and preventive health care. We pay equal attention to preventive medicine, fitness training, nutrition and cosmetics. This all has a multi-faceted effect

on the body that helps to achieve positive results and solve set tasks more efficiently. The price of life in a metropolis is a high degree of body toxification resulting in physical weakness, increased fatigability, changes in color and turgor of the skin, obesity problems, reduced mental energy, etc. Our approach to health recovery is based on a deep purification system, i.e. detoxification that facilitates selfrecovery; however, it is not limited to this system. Our methods are based on individual programs aimed at restoring the proper functioning of respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular systems. Procedures stimulate the venous circulation

and microcirculation in tissues, recuperation of exhausted nervous system. We help establish a harmony and balance in the body, mind and soul. The basic principle of Arteprevent, which lies at the heart of our treatment, is an indepth diagnostics of all the body systems aimed at identifying abnormalities in human health for further development of an individual program to prevent the diseases. ARTEPREVENT is a unique concept of integrated prevention and rehabilitation that was developed for citizens of big cities. Treatment combines various conventional techniques (such as acupuncture, various kinds of

Health

massage, spa procedures etc.), newest pharmaceutical and machine treatment modalities (cellgym, medcountour, original biologically active additives etc.) with modeling of health lifestyle (primarily reasonably physical training and dietary regime). Our club’s service programs for any client are to improve their health and to achieve their goals. Here is a list of our major and ancillary services: • Diagnostics • Arteprevent procedures • Fitness • Cosmetology • Thai massage • Beauty salon

In addition to these services, we offer the following fitness services: • Gym  • Cardio line  • Pilates  • Kinesis  • Wellness programs • Swimming pool Feeling ‘well’ is much more than just training muscles. It is a global system for achieving the balance and equilibrium between mind and body. Wellness training is based on the science of health and suggests health improvement through influence on the human body by individual physical loads. To this end, we offer: Relaxation swimming pool with hydro and aero massage, a gym

equipped with Technogym press machines with imbedded Wellness System developed specifically for making and monitoring an individual training program. Cardio room and free weights’ zone are at your disposal as well, including Kinesis, Pilates and Yoga studios. Programs and a set of exercises will be chosen for you by a wellness coach in such a way as to help improve your physical fitness.

Try us, you have everything to gain. Nikolskaya Health Club +7 495 775 9222 10, Nikolskaya Street, Moscow info@nikolskayahealthclub.ru http://www.nikolskayahealthclub.ru

Retro John Harrison

1993

1993 was the year in which the unreformed machinery of state fought long and hard for survival. It eventually surrendered but not without shells being fired directly into the White House in October. On one side of Russia’s political landscape were westernising, democrats -- President Yeltsin, Yegor Gaidar, Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais, who headed the privatisation programmes, the mayors of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and others. On the other side were powerful groups around Vice- President Rutskoi and Ruslan Khasbulatov, who was Speaker and Chairman of the Congress of People’s Deputies. In March, a four-day 8th Extraordinary Congress of People’s Deputies was organised. The number one goal was to cancel the scheduled April referendum, which would give Yeltsin a chance to hold

parliamentary elections, move towards the establishment of a presidential republic and ask the population whether they favoured private ownership of land. On its third day, Yeltsin was stripped of the emergency powers that the fifth Congress had granted him in November 1991. To all intents and purposes, Yeltsin`s ability to operate without the approval of Parliament, was now severely limited, which would have been fine in a mature democracy but not much use in Russia in 1993. On March 13, the April referendum was cancelled by a vote of 422-286. On the same day the Congress moved to assert control over the media and requested the Supreme Soviet to evaluate the work of Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais. Eventually realizing that a Russia with Yeltsin would be considerably better for

their interests than what the opposition had to offer, Western countries, thanks to the newly-elected Bill Clinton, now came charging forward with an aid programme of billions of dollars. Even the IMF changed its tune but this was all rather late. On March 20th Yeltsin announced on national television that he had signed a decree introducing “special rule,” a term that was carefully left undefined but meant that parliament would no longer be able to obstruct his work. The Constitutional Court then declared Yeltsin’s decree had violated the constitution. Nevertheless, the April 25 referendum was reinstated, during which 58% of Russians showed their support for Yeltsin. On September 18th, Yeltsin took the kid gloves off and reappointed Yegor Gaidar as First deputy Prime Minister. Three days later, Yeltsin announced that he had signed presidential decree No. 1400, whereby he dissolved both houses of parliament and fixed new parliamentary elections for December 12. Rutskoi and Khasbulatov were savvy to Yelstin’s plan and had already encamped themselves inside the White house along with hundreds of Supreme Soviet

Retro deputies. Vice President Rutskoi was promptly appointed Acting President of Russia and an emergency 10th Congress of People’s Deputies was convened. The Constitutional Court ruled Yeltsin’s decree unconstitutional, thereby creating grounds for removing him from the Presidency. Acting President Rutskoi appointed his own “ministers”. Yeltsin ordered his Defense Minister Grachev, hero of the August 1991 coup, to lay siege to the same building that a little over two years ago he had heroically defended. Following an unsuccessful attempt by parliament to take over the communications centre of the CIS on Leningradsky Prospect, the White House was cordoned off by police and OMON. As the impasse continued, Constitutional Court chairman Valery Zorkin retracted his earlier assertion that Yeltsin should be impeached and began to press for the adoption of a socalled ‘zero-zero’ option which would set the clock back to the state of the game before Yeltsin issued decree 1400. Meanwhile, the parliamentary Guard had access to 1,600 automatic weapons, over 2,000 pistols, 20 machine guns and several grenade launchers. More weapons were being smuggled into the White House daily through a labyrinth of underground tunnels underneath the building. General Rutskoi had three battalions of Moscow reservists, about 100 Spetznaz soldiers and various forces

from groups as different as the Cossacks to the neo-Nazi storm troopers of Aleksander Barkashov at his disposal. On the afternoon of October 3rd, a combined crowd of between 5,000 and 10,000 proSupreme Soviet demonstrators broke through a heavy police cordon and swarmed up to the White House. At 5pm a detachment set off for TV centre at Ostankino. For some convenient reason, vehicles had been left by fleeing police with their keys in them, just what a heavily armed mob needed to travel north through Moscow to the Ostankino TV centre, where a detachment of the Vityaz unit, a semisecret section of the Dzerzhinsky Division whose ‘normal job was to suppress prison mutinies or race riots in Central Asia, without too many questions being asked’ was waiting for them. The result was a killing field where 60 rebels, some passers- by and journalists lost their lives. Dvoevlastie or dual power ended abruptly. Valery Zorkin, chairman of the Constitutional Court, resigned as chief justice several days after the taking of the White House. Yeltsin moved quickly against the regions. The existing soviets of all levels were disbanded, and the status of the autonomous republics were downgraded in the new constitution. In December 58% of the population endorsed the new constitution, Yeltsin once again had virtually unrestricted authority to appoint his prime

minister, and rule by decree. On the afternoon of October 3rd, a combined crowd of between 5,000 and 10,000 proSupreme Soviet demonstrators broke through a heavy police cordon and swarmed up to the White House. Rutskoi, convinced that victory was close at hand, came out on a balcony and shouted: “We have won! Thank you, dear Muscovites!” He instructed the crowd to form up detachments and seize the Mayor’s office, then move on to Ostankino television broadcasting centre. An intoxicated mob burst into the nearby mayor’s office and the adjacent MIR hotel which was at that time the temporary police headquarters. At 5pm a detachment set off for Ostankino. It seemed briefly that a Bolshevik-style revolution was unfolding, with the fate of a nuclear-armed giant with 150 million people being decided by a few thousand people. Nobody stopped to ask why the demonstrators had been let through to the White House, and why vehicles had been left by fleeing police with their keys in them. Just what a heavily armed mob needed to travel north through Moscow to the Ostankino TV centre, where a detachment of the Vityaz unit, a semisecret section of the Dzerzhinsky Division whose ‘normal job was to suppress prison mutinies or race riots in Central Asia, without too many questions being asked’ (An Empire’s new Clothes, Bruce Clark) was waiting for them. The

Retro result was a killing field where 60 rebels, passers- by and journalists lost their lives. If the rebels had set off for the unguarded Kremlin, that would have been a different matter, but they didn’t, and one can only presume that Yeltsin had all the sophistication of Russian intelligence services at his disposal to inform him of this. The rebels did, however, take control of several other key buildings in Moscow, including the ITAR-TASS building. All of this enabled Yeltsin and Chernomyrdin to persuade the military to abandon its stance of neutrality and agree to a phased storming of the White House the following morning. We will never know at what price the military’s agreement came. A gaping hole was blasted in the White House before Rutskoi, Khasbulatov and their supporters would concede. Dvoevlastie or dual power ended abruptly. Valery Zorkin, chairman of the Constitutional Court, resigned as chief justice several days after the taking of the White House. Yeltsin moved quickly against the regions. The existing soviets of all levels were disbanded, and the status of the autonomous republics were downgraded in the new constitution. It seemed as though Yeltsin had scored the ultimate victory. However the electorate was somewhat shocked by the methods that Yeltsin used to rout his opponents. Rumours circulated around Moscow that thousands and not hundreds of people had been killed inside the White House as result of the shelling and consequent

storming of the building. Yeltsin showed an over keen attitude to manipulate the press by making sure that Gaidar’s Russia’s choice was given more air time than any other party, and any criticism to the Draft Constitution was banned on air. The four democratic parties that competed in the December elections for the State Duma, the new lower house, fared far worse than was expected, whilst Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s Liberal Democratic Party took 66 seats, the bornagain Communist Party took 62, and the Agrarians took 49. Yegor Gaidar’s “Russia’s Choice” took 103 seats, and could easily be outvoted. Many believed the results were a result of Yeltsin’s heavy handedness, but the dissatisfaction went deeper than that. Although Gaidar’s reforms were beginning to work, many thought they had failed. But things were only getting better in Moscow. Whole sections of the economy such as agriculture were as yet unreformed and dependant on dwindling state subsidies. Ministers held back from implementing the long awaited land reform law and there were persistent constraints upon entrepreneurial activity. The rule of law was very arbitrary and businessmen did not have a predictable environment to operate in. The country appeared to be rudderless and drifting. As Russians increasingly rejected their Soviet identity, they sought to return to national roots. Euroasian politics that had been espoused by writers such as Solzhenitsyn,

and before him by Lev Gumilyov became more appealing. A wide spectrum of opposition parties espoused policies that were at least partly Euroasian. Nobody was actually quite sure what Gumilyov’s ethnos really was but there was a general assumption that Orthodox Russia had more in common with the traditional authoritative values of Central Asia than the individualistic values of the humanist West. Coupled to all this was anger at the separatist sentiment in the non-Russian regions and a sinking feeling that Russia had ceased to be a great power. Furthermore, many Russians were concerned for their fellow co-ethnics in the “near abroad”. Gaidar was not a very good communicator. His pudgy face had never endeared itself to most voters and his language was as incomprehensible as ever. Zhirinovsky appeared dynamic and could speak the language of the man and woman in the street. Zyuganov was an unprepossessing speaker, yet the communists offered somewhere to go if you felt disinherited by Russia’s casting off of its Soviet identity. For Yeltsin, the December elections offered mixed results. Communists and neo-fascists would henceforth enjoy strong representation in the State Duma, but the upper chamber, the Federation Council, promised to be more tractable. After 58% of the population endorsed the new constitution, Yeltsin once again had virtually unrestricted authority to appoint his prime minister, to prorogue parliament and rule by decree.

Retro

THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND

MOSCOW 1993

e travel in silence but there is growing tension and Volodya, friend and driver for 4 years can no longer hold his peace. Volodya had recently moved with me when I left my job at an engineering JV to join what is planned to be the largest foreign sponsored construction project in the newly independent Russia, a pipeline around the north of the Caspian to take oil from Kazakhstan for international export from the Russian Black Sea coast. “I just don’t understand why you do not try the treatment! We use it all the time and we are never sick” said Volodya, crossing himself and touching the St. Christopher medal stuck to the dashboard just in case. I had a cold and a persistent cough and the treatment he was referring to would require my presence at his dacha, banya to be precise, to be partly steamed before having badger fat rubbed into me by his Father in Law. If that were not enough there was also a need to drink some concoction made from the fat, mixed with liberal portions of vodka no doubt. In my time in Russia, I had learned that every driver worth his salt is a walking encyclopaedia of home remedies. Paracetomol and antibiotics are for wimps. We were on our way from our new offices in the Radisson Slavyanskaya to a meeting at the Ministry for Oil opposite the Kremlin, with Transneft to be precise. Transneft was a division of the Ministry responsible for the nation’s trunk pipeline system transferring

the oil from the producer companies in the regions to the nation’s oil refineries in the industrial heartland, and export terminals on its southern and northern coasts. Transneft also pumped oil all the way into the centre of Europe to refineries in Czechoslovakia, Germany and Poland along what was ubiquitously known as the Druzhba or ‘friendship’ pipeline, a cornerstone of the now defunct ‘Comecon’ trading block. Our role was to plan, finance and obtain approval to construct a new privately owned and operated export pipeline from a major new oilfield in Kazakhstan using a partly-built but unfinished system and rebuilding and completing the rest of the line to the Black Sea Coast somewhere near the port of Novorossiyisk. The project was founded under an Intergovernmental Agreement which had recently been ratified by the Russian Parliament. Transneft were to be our partner in the day to day planning and development representing the Russian State’s interest. It was definitely a time that the optimists would describe as ripe with opportunity. The President was at odds with the Russian Parliament who had threatened to impeach him. One of his compromises, the previous December, had been to appoint Victor Chernomyrdin, the then head of the state gas company Gazprom, as Prime Minister, for many an unlikely choice but at least a man with in depth knowledge of the problems within industry. Our meeting that day took on the appearance of the Presidential

ovich k c i r e Fred

negotiations, or so it felt. We walked into the building with spirits high from the recent ratification eager to meet our Transneft counterparts and begin work in earnest. After all, were we not bringing the opportunity of western investment, planning and technology exchange at a time when Russia most needed it? We had not calculated for their notorious general director however, who proceeded for the first hour to spray us with invective making it abundantly clear that irrespective of the terms of the treaty governing the project, any venture that he participated in would be run by him, and he did not care where the money was coming from; we were in Russia and would march to his tune. As we left I did my best to be positive and mumbled my thanks in Russian as we retreated from his office, much to his surprise and my colleagues concern. Apparently my attempts at a positive Russian farewell had come out as “kiss my big one” or similar. So it went through the year, we battled on with Transneft which like many so Russian organisations had excellent specialists and managers within their ranks all wanting a successful outcome but were curtailed by their management, as Yeltsin battled parliament. Yeltsin won the day yet again, promising fresh elections for the following year. More importantly Russia received her new Constitution on 12.12.1993. We carried on working on our project.

FOOD

Integrating FUN or how to spice up your business events

kova Anastasia Pes

hat makes a wellplanned business event a success? There are many important factors which can influence the outcome, however the high level of an audience’s interest is the ultimate deciding factor. If the audience is not interested, your business will fail. The solution is simple – make sure that you spice it up with innovative ideas and are not afraid to challenge stereotypical approaches toward organizing business events. Let’s take a closer look. What is the standard format of any business event – several hours of presentation, a couple of coffee breaks and a banquet/buffet/open bar as a finale. When working out the major objectives of any business event, we can define the nature of this format. In the graphic below you can see organizational goals set against the components of a business event: If we take this as being an average formula for a business event, the red-

yellow line shows the emotional level of participants. And here comes the main obstacle for organizers – how to keep the attention of an audience on a high emotional level in order to achieve all goals. No matter how interested you are in the topic of an event, if the time management of a presentation has failed, the new informational and data will overload the audience’s capacity

to stay alert. By the end of the first presentation, the emotional level raises in anticipation of a break. This may not sound very professional, but school-day habits remain very much in the subconscious of every grown-up person. Therefore it is crucial to find alternative ways and tools to ‘entertain’ people in order to achieve your set goals. Such simple psychological observation brings us to the

FOOD

main point of this article – how to integrate FUN and positive emotions into a business event. First, let’s look at commonly used tools which can help any events manager and business trainer spice up a business event: As we can see, integrating interesting, creative approaches and tools does help us with the emotional/ interest level of participants in all parts of the event. Possible options most organizers would go for are banquets for official ceremonies, stand-up fancy receptions with campaigns and red carpets, gala dinners in restaurants with entertainment programmes and authoritative speakers, and other such variants.

Are they expensive? – Yes. Are they interesting? Will they keep the emotional/interest level high? – Maybe. Are they useful and will they definitely allow achieving all set goals? – Let’s see. An innovative concept has been offered to the business event market by culinary studio CulinaryON, the largest culinary studio in Russia. The main idea, is to combine the missing high level of interest with socializing activities. Culinary master-class, being very simple by definition, have became

this alternative type of event, which has been appreciated by many companies already. CulinaryOn offers the possibility to make a full circle business event in one place, fill it out with any entertainment activity and provide an atmosphere for very productive networking and socializing. The recipe for this golden mix is the following: 750 sq. meters, which allow hosting an event for over 200 people; a fully equipped conference room, which has a capacity of up to 80 people and a culinary masterclass, as an alternative to a banquet and reception. This will entertain all the participants and give him/her a very unique, memorable experience, which will help participants to remember the event itself. Why do culinary master-classes work for business events? A unique and healthy atmosphere is created. Stereotypes are broken down, there is a high level of organization and integration of something very new and unexpected – all this keeps people interested for the entire duration of the event. Moreover, the cooking process helps brings people together for discussion and negotiation much more effectively than sitting and eating in a restaurant. Being united by a common process and having one goal (in this case – to prepare a good meal), people work in a positive atmosphere, and get to see the results right away. Organizers can still add formal aspects such as speeches. In such a scenario, the ‘FUN’ part will compensate for the informational overload and still leave people with a happy, interesting feeling about event. Summarizing the above-stated information; there are many ways to change standard business events formats, in energise them to achieve higher goals. One of them has been described in this article. However, the events industry evolves every day, and other variants appear on the market, at the disposal of events manager, as well as for big corporate bosses. Take a look on the trends of 2014, add a little bit of creativity and do not be afraid to experiment with new formats.

Moscow Good Food Club

4th Restaurant ITALIANETS Executive Chef Giuseppe Todisco

Aggregate MGFC food scores (out of 10): Food Quality: 7 Quality and suitability of the drinks: 7 Service Standards: 8 General rating of the meal: 8

he centre of Moscow was blanketed by an unusually heavy bout of snowfall on the day of the February 4th Moscow Good Food Club (MGFC) event at the Italianets restaurant on Samotechnaya Street. Anywhere else in the world, citizens would have been advised to stay at home, but in Moscow a small amount of snow (7cms fell in one day) did nothing to deter club members trudging up from the Metro or braving difficult driving conditions. In fact such bracing weather only tempered our appetites. Italian cook Giuseppe Todisco greeted us to the Club’s third Italian restaurant with a warm, quizzical

smile and ran off back to the kitchen to dish up the first course. We all took our seats, and tried to disguise our eagerness for the first course to be served. Mercifully, we did not wait long, and soon ‘veal confit in tuna sauce, zucchini rolls with anchovies and cottage cheese with aubergine salad’ appeared on large plates in front of us. This was accompanied by spumante faive’ Rose Brut, Nino Franco (Piedmont). The reaction to this first course was mixed, with some guests saying that it was perhaps a little over done, being simply too many additional ingredients to really enjoy the veal. However judging by the empty plates, it was infact enjoyed by all! Nobody had anything

to say about the wine, meaning that it went down very well. The next course, an original risotto with ‘cuttle-fish ink and squids’ resulted in a chorus of ‘mmm’ and other sounds indicated tasteful satisfaction. One member said that this was the best risotto she had ever tasted: “The consistency, the texture, the flavour, the lack of need for salt or pepper was incredible”. The next highlight of the meal included an ‘endive salad and veal shank filled pasta pipes, with parmesan veloute’ which was also valued highly, one guest saying: “the flavours were exceedingly well balanced.” Out of the drinks, an exquisite aperitif ‘Passito di Noto, Planeta 2009’, which had a

Moscow Good Food Club

unique fruity taste, but was not heavy like most liquors, won top place. Overall, members rated Giuseppe’s work with a respectable 8 out of 10. However the winners of the evening were good company, excellent food and enjoyable wines! As is MGFC custom, while engaging in gastronomic deliberation, members turned their intellects to an important current theme. In February, this could have only been the Olympics, and having lived through the serious bout of ‘anti-Russia bashing’ during the build-up to the Games, members were asked to be contrarians and list 5 benefits that Russia will gain from hosting the Olympics.

This resulted in a lively discussion, and some of the more memorable(and printable) comments were as follows: “…The Olympics will bring Russians to Sochi for skiing, instead of them going to the Alps. I think also, the Olympics may have opened Russians eyes up to the needs for positive publicity, and hopefully this will lead to them marketing themselves better in the future.” “…The Olympics certainly highlighted things which didn’t need to be talked about, but this does not mean that Russia became more attractive to people from the outside world. In a way it should

have, the Olympics should bring investment, people and happiness to any country, but it is not clear that Russia will benefit in the same way.” “…This it is good for the self confidence of Russians, and good for development of the area, but there needs to be a follow-up.” “…The Olympics paved the way for better preparation for the 2018 World Cup.” At the end of another excellent evening the snow had cleared and the well filled members of the Moscow Good Food Club parted ways on the doorstep of Italianets, another excellent Italian restaurant with typical Italian flair and charm.

Social

Marriage with a Foreigner (1):

Russian Women’s Point of View Julia Popova

Despite the fact that there are a high number of marriages between Russians and foreigners, the subject has not been written about exhaustively. Two very successful, attractive and open-minded Russian ladies, who are all married to expatriates, helped Moscow expat Life to understand a bit of what really stands behind a mixed marriage.

nastasia Repko met her American husband Daniel over ten years ago at an evening school where he taught English. She was one of his students. They liked each other from the first sight but started dating only when she was no longer his student. A year later they peacefully broke up as Anastasia was too young to get married and have kids and Daniel was ten years older than her. They stayed friends but nothing indicated they would get together again. Daniel married another Russian girl. Anastasia married a Russian man. Ten years later both Anastasia and Daniel got divorced. Daniel started courting Anastasia again. This time he gave her the time she needed but asked her to think about whether she would in fact marry him or not. They discussed

every aspect of married life. Anastasia felt that she loved him. They moved in together and got married. The saying ‘third time lucky’ fits Olga Gottchalk’s story exactly. “My first husband was from Russia. After a short time together we split up and I moved to America and met my second spouse, marriage to whom was a disaster. I left him and seriously considered being on my own for the rest of life. At that time I was struggling to be able to get permission for my daughter to live with me after divorce. Bob appeared when I was least expecting the appearance of somebody new. I met him when I started a new job. I was surprised that it is possible to meet somebody who you are so very similar to. Since I was a little girl I felt that somebody is waiting for me far away.”

Social In any serious relationship with expatriates there is always a point of how western the man actually is, and how prepared the women is to accept her husband’s culture. Anastasia and Olga were all exposed to western culture before they met their future husbands. Anastasia Repko parents’ house was always full of her father’s foreign colleagues. She started studying English at the age of three and progressed on from there. Anastasia graduated from the English faculty of the Plekhanov Academy, and worked for a string of western companies. Olga Gottchalk went to a special English school and started learning English early. She was always

in their life and supports his children financially. They come to us every other weekend, and on some holidays, they also join us on vocations.” Olga Gottchalk mentioned that in America if a couple breaks up, parents try to stay together when it comes to raising children. They can even live next to each other. One day kids are with their mum, the next day with their father. If Russians divorce, in most cases the children stay with the mother. “I have a daughter from my previous American marriage. I had this mentality that she should be with me. We were fighting for a long time. He tried to do all kinds of nasty things. He lied to the authorities. It was one allegation after another. I stopped it...”

interested in foreign countries. Working for international companies helped to form her pro-western mentality. There are however, huge cultural differences which come to light when two people marry. One thing that differs clearly between different countries is the marriage age. In Russia the majority of women still feel the need to get married and give birth before the age of 30. The raising of children, sharing domestic responsibilities and the way the man treats his lady remain the most vivid differences between foreigners and Russians, as pointed out by Olga and Anastasia. The fact that the husband may have additional baggage is not necessarily a problem. Anastasia Repko’s husband has two kids from his first marriage. In her own words: “He fully participates

Another major difference is the fact that Russians are prepared to support their children into adulthood, whereas in the west, particularly in America, parents don’t do this. Who makes the money, and who does the dishes are also big cultural stumbling block. Anastasia Repko mentioned: “My husband came here at the age of 23, a very simple guy making very small money sometimes. He found his way in a foreign country and became successful. Most expatriates who come to Russia have very strong characters.” Anastasia continued: “What is great about a union with a foreigner is that they never divide men’s and women’s responsibility. They don’t

u r . e f i patl

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mind babysitting. They are fine with cooking and helping at home.” Olga Gottchalk says: “Russian men are more traditional. They expect women to do certain things. In America you can be whatever you want. In most cases in Russia men should earn money and women should raise kids. That makes them both unhappy. If a wife is better at making money and a husband is better in cooking why shouldn’t they do what they are best at?” Money is a tricky issue, as in West European society men and women are not only treated more equally, but both parties are expected to contribute financially to the family budget, and this is very different from the traditional Russian way. In Russia the man is expected to earn more than his wife, and consequently spend more. This is why foreign men can appear to be scrooges, simply because they are not used to splashing out as much as their Russian counterparts. Olga Gottchalk says: “In America you are not treated as female. Average Americans don’t do things like opening doors for you. In general American life teaches women to save money. Men see you as a partner who is supposed to contribute. They do it together.” Anastasia Repko says: “I have never seen a foreigner who is a scrooge about money but I heard that such men exist. Dan is very generous. Even if he has a lunch with a different lady he in many cases pays for her.” The problems involved with marriages between Russian women and foreign men are easy to underestimate, and not all marriages by any means survive. The stories of Olga and Anastasia are the best proof that a successful union is based on common and nationalityindependent values. They also demonstrate that at least one of the partners is prepared to make major sacrifices in his or her normal cultural programming.

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Moscow now offers so many wonderful restaurants and great bars. Our aim is to provide you with Moscow’s most extensive listings of Restaurants and Bars. In this issue it is an A-Z format Also Available on: –

Our wonderful researchers continue to work hard to produce this list, however if your restaurant/bar is not listed, please contact us, and you will be in the next issue.

www.Moscowexpatlife.ru 02 Lounge

Abricol

Alazani

AMG cafe dj bar

Anfilada

1-2-3 Cafe

Academia Cafe & Pizzeria

Alenky Tsvetochek

Amigo Migel

Angello

3 Tverskaya The Ritz-Carlton Moscow M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Japanese, $$$$ Multiple Locations M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $

1001 night

31 kor.1, Bratislavskaya ul. M. Maryino Cuisine: European, Azerbaijan, $

11/1 Burger Bar

15/2, Lubyansky Proezd M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: American, $$

1920

10/2 str.2b, Nikolskaya M. Lubyanka Cuisine: American, $

3 Rooms

84/32 kor.1, Profsoyuznaya St. M. Kaluzhskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $$

32.05

3 Karetniy ryad M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, $

7 sisters

18/1 Olimpiyskiy pr. (Hotel Renessans) M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, $

A la fourchette

11/7, Sormovsky proezd M. Ryazansky Prospekt Cuisine: European, $$$

A&B Cafe

8, Tulskaya bol. M. Tulskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

A. F. Koni

9/1 Novaya Basmannaya St. M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: Russian, European, $$

A.V.E.N.U.E.

8 km of RublyovoUspenskoye Shosse, Barvikha Luxury Village M. Molodyozhnaya Cuisine: French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, $$$$

Lipeckaya 7a M. Tsaritsyno Cuisine: European, Russian, Mixed, $$

2/1, Kamergersky Pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Academy

Building 2, 23 1st Shchipkovskii Per. M. Dobryninskaya Cuisine: Caucasian, European, Japanese, Seafood, $$

Accenti

7, Kropotkinsky per. M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Author’s cuisine, Italian, Japanese, $$$

Acienda

39 Vavilova St. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Brazilian, Spanish, Cuban, Latin American, Mexican, Portuguese, $$$

Adriatico

3, Blagoveschensky Pereulok M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Africa

10, 2nd Vladimirskaya St. M. Perovo Cuisine: African, Georgian, Mediterranean, $$

Ahtuba

1a Nijegorodskaya St. M. Rimskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $

Aiko

24 Frunzenskaya Nab. (Embankment) M. Park Kultury Cuisine: European, Japanese, Seafood, $$$

Aist

8/1, Malaya Bronnaya M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, $$$

Akademicheskiy 1 Donskaya St. M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, $$

11/15 Volochaevskaya St. M. Rimskaya Cuisine: European, Georgian, $$ 6/5 Kostyakova St. M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: Jewish, European, $$

Alioli

Ulitsa Neglinaya, 8/10 M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Spanish, $$

All-Time Bar

7/5 bld.2, Bolshaya Dmitrovka M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Allegro

Building 8, 52 Kosmodamianskaya Nab. M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, French, $$$

Aloha Bar

38 bld.1, Myasnitskaya M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, $$

Alrosa

4, 1st Kazachii Per. M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: European, Seafood, Vegetarian, $$

Alter Ego

Profsoyuznaya St. 152/2 M. Tyoply Stan Cuisine: Caucasian, European, Russian, $$

13a Vavilova St. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $ 47 Leningradskiy prospekt M. Aeroport Cuisine: Mexican, American, $$

Amstel

2, Kievskiy vokzal square (Evropeyskiy) M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, $

Amstel Bar

2, Dnepropetrovskaya ul (Yujniy) M. Yuzhnaya Cuisine: European, $

Amsterdam

4, Ilinka M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Dutch, European, $$$

Ananas (Pineapple)

11 Generala Beloborodova St. M. Tushinskaya Cuisine: Jewish, $$

AnderSon

74 bld.8, Leningradsky Prospect M. Sokol Cuisine: European, Confectionery, $$

Anna Mons

3 Krasnokazarmennaya St. M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Fish, $$

Annenfeld

17 Uralskiy St. M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: European, Azerbaijan, East, $

Annyushka Traktir Chistoprudny Bulvar M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Russian, $$$

ANT-25

24 Rusakovskaya St. (Holiday Inn Moscow Sokolniki , 25 floor) M. Sokolniki Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

4/2 Stroileley Ul. M. Universitet Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $$

66 Aviatsionnaya St. M. Shchukinskaya Cuisine: European, $$ ENG

“Classy & relaxed café and restaurant. Excellent cuisine and extensive wine list”

Amarcord

6 Pokrovka St. M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

American Bar and Grill

Andiamo

American Bar and Grill

Andiamo

2 bld.1, 1st TverskayaYamskaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: American, $$

60-letiya Oktyabrya Prospekt 3 M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Mediterranean, Japanese, European, Italian, $$$

ANDIAMO

Alye Parusa

14, Kirovogradskaya M. Yuzhnaya Cuisine: American, $$

Olympic Ave, 16, M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, Russian, Mixed, $$$

10 N.Maslovka M. Savyolovskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $ 53/6 Ostojenka M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Italian, $$

Andreas

Kutuzovsky Prospekt 12 M. Kutuzovskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Antaliya

29/1, Proezd Dezhneva M. Otradnoye Cuisine: Turkish, $$

Aozora

Leninsky Pr 38 M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Japanese, $$$

Apartment

12/6 Savvinskiy Bol. per M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants AROMASS INDIAN RESTAURANT Krizhizanovskovo 20/30 M. Profsoyuznaya Cuisine: Indian, $ www.aromass.ru +7 499 125 6276 “The most authentic and best Indian food in Moscow. Delivery service also available”

Apple Bar & Restaurant

11 Malaya Dmitrovka (Hotel Golden Apple) M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Japanese, $$$

Apropos

2 Frolov Per. M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, European, $$$

Aquarelle

36 Krasnaya Presnya St. M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: European, $

Ararat Park Hyatt

4 Neglinnaya ul., Ararat Park Khayat Moskva Hotel, 10th floor M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: Caucasian, European, $$$

Arbat

12 Plotnikov Per. M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, European, Russian, $$

Argo

19 Melnikova St. M. Volgogradsky Prospekt Cuisine: Caucasian, European, Georgian, Russian, $$

Argument cafe

41, Kutuzovsky Prospekt M. Kutuzovskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Aristocrat

6 bld.2, Lokomotivny Proezd M. Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Cuisine: armenian, georgian, caucasian, mexican, european, $$

Arkhitektor

20 M. Nikitskaya St. M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Seafood, Vegetarian, $$$

Arshin Mal Alan

152/2 bld.2, Profsoyuznaya M. Tyoply Stan Cuisine: Azeri, Fusion, $$

Art-Cafe Etre

2/14, Lopukhinsky Pereulok M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, $

Artefact

11 Konstantina Fedina St. M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $

Artist Gallery

19, Prechistenka Street M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: French, Fusion, Italian, Japanese, $$$

Artplay

11 bld.34, Timura Frunze M. Park Kultury Cuisine: European, $

Art’s Palace

3, bld.4 Uspensky Pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, European, Fusion, Georgian, Russian, Seafood, $$$

Aruba

4 Narodnaya St. M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Cuban, Spanish, $$$

Asakhi

Atlantic

Baku

Barracuda Tavern

Atlantis

Baku Patio

Barry White

Aurora

Baku Patio 2

Aurora - Restaurant Cruiser 1st Rank

10 a, Akademika Sakharova M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: Azeri, Russian, European, $$

21/10, Komsomolskiy Prospekt M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, German, $$$$

Balcon

BBcafe

2/1 Kutuzovskii Prospekt M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$ Balaclava Avenue, 7 M. Chertanovskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Japanese, $$$ 12 Startovaya St. M. Medvedkovo Cuisine: European, mixed, $$$

10 Krasnopresnenskaya Nab. M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Mediterranean, European, Russian, $$$

Aurora Yacht Club

Moskovksaya oblast, 6th KM from MKAD on Dmitrovskii Shosse M. Rechnoi Vokzal Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, Seafood, $$$

Avocado

12/2 Chistoprudny boulevard M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: Vegetarian, European, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, $$

Azon

Korpus 1, 28 Narodnogo Opolcheniya St. M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: European, $

B-52

118 Prospekt Mira M. Alexeyevskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

7 Litovskii Bulvar M. Yasenevo Cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, $$$

Asia

B-69

Krasnogorsk district, 65/66-y km Ring Road, TVK M. Strogino Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, Seafood, $$$$

Assambleya (President-hotel)

24 Bolshaya Yakimanka St. M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Oriental, Italian, French, $$$$

AST-Mayak

25/1 Bolshaya Filevskaya Street M. Bagrationovskaya Cuisine: Azeri, European, Russian, $

Asteroid

10 Krylatskaya St. M. Molodyozhnaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, Russian, $$

Astoria

57, Trifonovskaya street M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, Russian, $

At Pirosmani’s

4, Novodevichiy proezd M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

69 Vavilova St. M. Profsoyuznaya Cuisine: Seafood, $$

8/1 Bolshaya Sadovaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, Russian, Seafood, $$$

Baan Thai

11, Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Thai, $$

Baba Marta

8 Gogolevskiy bulvar M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Bulgarian, $$

Bagrationi

1/7 Spartakovskaya pl. M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: Caucasian, European, Georgian, $$$

Bakinskiy Dvorik

6 Stomynka St. M. Sokolniki Cuisine: Caucasian, Seafood, $$$$

12/14 Usievicha M. Aeroport Cuisine: Azeri, European, French, Russian, $$ 6 Strominka M. Sokolniki Cuisine: American, Azeri, Georgian, $$

8 Novinskiy bulvar Lotte plaza M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Japaneese, $$$$

Balikoti

13/9 B. Ordynka M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: Italian, European, $$

Baltschug

1 Balchug, Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Bamboo Bar

Presnenskaya Naberezhnaya 8 M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: Asian, Japanese, Chineese, $$$$

Bank

24/27 Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: European, Seafood, $$ 1/2 Glubokiy per. M. Krasnopresnenskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Bavarius

13 Skatertniy per. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Beavers

Ulitsa Lyublinskaya 171 M. Maryino Cuisine: European, $$

Bed Cafe

6 Presnenskay Val. bldg.2 M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Japaneese, $$$

Bedouin

57 Leninsky prospect M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: East, $

Beef Bar

13 Prechistinskaya Naberezhnaya, bld. 1 M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

1/15 Kotelnicheskaya Embankment M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, $$

Beef Reef

Bar 1920

Beeftro

Barashka

Beer & Loga

10/2, Nikolskaya M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, Russian, $$ 20/1, Petrovka M. Trubnaya Cuisine: Azerbaijani, $$$

Barbados

5, Bolshoy Putinkovsky pereulok M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, Indian, Spanish, Thai, $

Barbontempi

8a str.1 Nikitskiy bul. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Barista Bar

20, Malaya Dmitrovka M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Steakhouse, $$$ 26, Tsvetnoi Boulevard M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: American, $ 23 Autumn Avenue (Osenniy bulvar) Bisness Center M. Krylatskoye Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, European, German, Japaneese, $$

Beer House

2/12 Kozitsky Maly pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Austrian, German, $$

Belaya Rus

14 Bolshaya Nikitskaya Ul. M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Belarussian, $$

47 bld.2, Leningradskiy Prospect M. Aeroport Cuisine: Italian, $$

Bellagio

Baron Munchausen

Belochka Bar

11 Mikluho-Maklay M. Yugo-Zapadnaya Cuisine: European, Georgian, $$$

8 Mosfilmovskaya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$ 1/2, Lesnaya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Europeane, Russian, $$

Would you like to have your restaurant/bar featured in one of our future issues? Please contact us for details editor@moscowexpatlife.ru

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Beloe solnce pustyni

29, Neglinnaya M. Trubnaya Cuisine: Azerbaijiani, Chinese, Uzbek, $$$

Beloye Solntse Pustyni

29 Neglinnaya Ul. M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Arabic, Uzbek, Chineese, $$$

Bericony

Bochka

2, 1905 Goda M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, European, $$$

Bolshoi

3/6 bld.2, Petrovka M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: French, Russian, $$$$

Bon

4/4 bld.1, Yakimanskaya Nabereznaya M. Polyanka Cuisine: International, $$$

11 bld.6, Volxonka M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Georgian, European, $$$

Beverly Hills Diner 1, Sretenka M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: American, $$

Beverly Hills Diner 10, Nikolskaya M. Lubyanka Cuisine: American, $$

Big Buffalo Bar & Grill Sushchevskaya St., 19/7 M. Mendeleyevskaya Cuisine: American, $$

Blackberry cafe

10, Akademika Sakharova Prospect M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: European, Asian, $$

6/1 str.1, Sretenskiy bul. M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: Italian, Corean, Russian, $$

Bobby Dazzler

7/13 Kostiansky pereulok M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, European, $$

Bobry & Utki

1A, Chistoprudnii Bulvar M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Italian, Thai, $

Bocconcino

7, Strastnoi Bulvar M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Italian, Tuscany, $$$

27, Bolshaya Polyanka M. Polyanka Cuisine: Italian , Russian, $$ 3, 19 Starovagankovsky Bystreet M. Alexandrovsky Sad Cuisine: Uzbek, $$$

Briz (ship Alexander Blok)

Bruder

12 bld.1, Bersenevskaya Nabereznaya M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Booze Pub

Potapovsky Per 5 M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: International, $$

Bora Bora cafe

14/3 Orehoviy bul. M. Domodedovskaya Cuisine: Italian, Japanese, $

Bora-Bora Grill

1 Semyonovskaya square M. Semyonovskaya Cuisine: Italian, European, $$

46 bld.1, Butyrskaya M. Savyolovskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Brussels

10/12 Timiryazevskaya M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: Belgian, $$$

Brussels Catering

Bungalow Bar

Calvados

23 Leninsky Pr. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: European, $$$$ 20, Denezhny Pereulok M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Italian, tuscan, $$$$

26 Bolshaya Polyanka St. M. Polyanka Cuisine: Italian, $$

Capri

Cafe

Carabas

22â Tverskaya M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Cafe Bellissima

36/1 Bol. Novodmitrovskaya St. M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: European, $

Boston Seafood & Bar

Cafe Loft

24 Tverskaya St. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$$ 25 Nikolskaya, shopping center “Nautilus, ” 6th floor M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, French, $$$

Cafe Manon

2, 1905 Goda M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Asian, $$$

Would you like to have your restaurant/bar featured in one of our future issues? Please contact us for details editor@moscowexpatlife.ru

25/6 Kosmodamianskaya nab. M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Rusian, Swiss, $

7 Academika Sakharova M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, $$$$

Cafe Gotty

2 Pyatnitskiy per. M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: European, Thai, Asian, $

Cafe Swiss

6/1 Zemlyanoi Val M. Kurskaya Cuisine: African, $$$

47/23 Stary Arbat St. (Old Arbat St.) M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Turkish, $$

BottleBar.ru

26a, Tverskoi Bulvar M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$$

Cappuccino Express

24, Tverskoi Boulevard M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Ñonfectionery, $

Cafe Brocard

7 Lesnaya Ul M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Fish, $$

Cafe Pushkin

Bublik

Bosco Café

Bosfor

28, Malaya Bronnaya M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$

Cantinetta Antinori

23 Olhovskaya St. (Hotel Mandarin Moscow) M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

3, Red Square M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Cafe Margarita

17/1 Myasnitskaya St. M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, German, Russian, Seafood, Vegetarian, $$$

19, Novy Arbat St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, $

Bosco Bar

“Charming, bright terrace restaurant. High quality Italian cuisine, extensive wine-list and professional service”

Brichmula

Bontempi Restaurant

“An inventive and ever changing menu offering International specialities and friendly service”

Bread and wine

8, 1st Frunzenskaya M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: Italian, Seafood, $$$

12a Krasnopresnenskaya Nab. (Embankment) M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Seafood, $$$

Usacheva 2, Bldg 1 M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: International, $$

12 Preobrajenskaya sq. M. Preobrazhenskaya Ploshchad Cuisine: European, $

CAFE FRESCO

37, Leninskyi bulvar M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Seafood, $$$

8A bld.1, Nikitsky Boulevard M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Bontempi bar

BLACK MARKET

BloggiBAR

Bouillabaisse

18, Lva Tolstogo M. Park Kultury Cuisine: French, $$$

Caribe cafe club

18/18 Pokrovka St. M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Mexican, Brazilian, European, Italian, Cuban, Latin American, $$

Casa Agave

Bolshoy Cherkasskiy Per.17 M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Mexican , $$

Casa Bella

29 Pr. Vernadskogo St. M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Casa di Famiglia 7/18 Metallurgov St. M. Perovo Cuisine: Italian, $$

Casa Mia

MKAD 65 km (Crocus City Moll) M. Myakinino Cuisine: Italian, Seafood, $$$$

Casta Diva

26, Tverskoi Bulvar M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Castle Grill Bar 4 Komsomolskiy Pr. M. Park Kultury Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Castle Knight

58 Bol.Nikitskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Castle Rose

10/1 1905 goda St. M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Russian, Italian, $$

CDL Club & Restaurant

50, Povarskaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Russian, Italian, $$$$

Central Park Cafe

14a Prospect Vernadskogo M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: American, Italian, $$

Chaika

7, Marksistskaya M. Marksistskaya Cuisine: French, Georgian, International, Italian, Mediterranean, $$$$

Chaikhana Kishmish Multiple Cuisine: Uzbek, East, $

Chekhonte 22, Tverskaya M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$$ “Casual but elegant restaurant offering an entertaining gastronomic experience”

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Chaikhona ¹1

4 Lodochnaya St. M. Tushinskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, Mediterranean, $$

Chalet

7á Elektrolitny proezd M. Nagornaya Cuisine: European, French, Italian, Swiss, $$

Chateau de Fleurs

City Club International

23a Taras Shevchenko Embankment M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: International, $$

Correa’s

32 Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Ul., bldg.1 M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: American, $$

29 bld.3, Lomonosovsky Prospekt M. Universitet Cuisine: European, $$$$

Correa’s

Che

32, Bolshaya Gruzniskaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

10/2, Nikolskaya M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Latin American, $$

Chemodan

Gogol Boulevard, Bldg 25, M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$

Cherdak

7, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: European, $$

Chesterfield

Building 1, 19 Novy Arbat St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: American, European, $$$

China Club

Multiple Cuisine: European, $$

Correa’s

Corsa

78 Mira Prospect M. Rizhskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

Cosmos Planet

The Cosmos Hotel, 150 Prospekt Mira M. VDNKh Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Courschevel

7, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Panasian, French, $$$$

Courvoisier

21, Krasina M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Author, Pan-Asian, $$$

Malaya Sukharevskaya Sq. Bldg.8 M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

China Town

25/12 Lubyanka Proezd M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Chinese, Seafood, Vegetarian, $$$

Coyote Ugly

Chito Grito

Crab House

11 Trubnikovsky pereulok M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Geogian, $$

6/3 bld.3, Kuznetskiy Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Coctails, $$ 6 Tverskaya Ul. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, Seafood, $$$

Chicago Prime: Steakhouse & Bar Strastnoy Blvd. 8a M. Tverskaya Cuisine: American, $$ Moscow’s most popular steakhouse & bar. Top steaks, efferent service and large wine list

Chito Grito

22 Narodnaya M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $

Chocolate

Multiple locations Cuisine: European, $$

Cicila

2g Minskaya M. Park Pobedy Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Cipollino

7 Soimonovskiy prospekt, building 1 M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$$$

Crazy Hunter

8 Dovatora St. M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Da Cicco

13/12 Profsoyuznaya M. Profsoyuznaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Dacha na Pokrovke 18/4 bld.16, Pokrovsky Bulevard M. Kurskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

= Menu in English

Darbars

38 Leninsky Pr. 16 Fl Hotel Sputnik M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Indian, $$$

Darling, I’ll call you back ..

7, Bolshoy Strochenovsky M. Serpukhovskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Das Kapital

Building 1, 6/9/20 Rozhdestvenka St. M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: European, German, $$

Don Macaron

53, Lusinovskaya M. Serpukhovskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Don Pedro

9 Spiridonievsky lane M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, $$$$

Don’t Tell Mama

5, Putnikovskiy bol. per M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

El Gauchito

48, Kutuzovskiy pr. M. Slavyansky Bulvar, $$$

Elky-Palki

Multiple Cuisine: Russian, $

Emporio Armani Caffe

3, Red Square M. Ploshchad Revolyutsii Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

Donna Klara

Esperanto Lounge Bar

Donna Margarita

Etaj

37/3 Myasnitskaya ulica M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$$

Doolin house

Eva

DeFAQto

Dorian Gray

De Marco

Multiple Cuisine: European, International, Seafood, $$$

Ded Pihto

30/2 str.1, Bol.Lubyanka M. Trubnaya Cuisine: American, European, Indian, $$$

Denis Simachev

12 Stoleshnikov Per. Bldg.2 M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, $$$

Dim Sum

3, Smolenskaya Square M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Chinese, $$$

21/13, Malaya Bronnaya M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, $$$ 2 bld.1, 1905 Goda M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Home, Italian, $$$ 20 Arbat St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, $ 6/1 Kadashevskaya nab. M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

Doucet X.O.

31 Novinsky boulevard, Trading Center ’Novinsky’ M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: European, French, $$

Drevny Kitai

41a Vyatskaya ul. M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: European, $ bld. 1, 14 Tverskaya M. Pushkinskaya Multiple locations, Cuisine: European, Japanese $$ 31 Marshala Rokossovskogo bulvar M. Ulitsa Podbelskogo Cuisine: European, Russian, Medeterian, Italian, French, Japanese, $

Evoo

15, Kosygina (Korston hotel) M. Vorobyovy Gory Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

Ex Libris

6 str.1 Bobrov per. M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: European, $$

5/6 bld.4, Kamergersky Pereulok M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Chinese, $$

Extra Lounge

Druzhba

Farsi

Due Soldo

Favorite Pub

10 Strastnoy Boulevard, Building 2 M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: European, French, Russian, International, $$

Dukhan Alaverdy

Filini Bar & Restaurant

Dodo

11 bld 3b, Mokhovaya M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, $$

Dioskuria

2, Merzlyakovsky Pereulok M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $

Dissident

25 Nikolskaya str, Nautilus Shopping Center, 5th floor M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, $$$

Divas

21/2 Petrovka M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Dolls

23b Krasnaya Presnya, Building 1 M. Krasnopresnenskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, Seafood, $$$$

Dom Karlo

6 Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$$

Don Ivan

10 Yaroslavskoe shosse M. VDNKh Cuisine: European, Russian, Italian, $$

4, Novoslobodskaya M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Chinese, $$$ 33/4 Narodnogo opolcheniya M. Oktyabrskoye Pole Cuisine: European, Italian, $ 23-25/2 Gruzinsky Val. M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$

Duma

Durdin

Multiple Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, Russian, $$

Dzhagannat

11, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Indian, $$

Eat & Talk

7 Mohovaya St. M. Borovitskaya Cuisine: European, $

Ecle

5 Oktyabrskaya St. M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: European, French, $$

15, Kosygina M. Vorobyovy Gory Cuisine: European, $$$ 2/1 Kutuzovskiy prospect M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Iranian, $$$ 24, Spiridonovka M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: American, $$$

26, 3 ulica Yamskogo polya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Five Spices

3/18, Sivtsev Vrazhek Pereulok M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Chinese, Indian, Thai, $$

Flat Iron Roadhouse 7 Voznesensky Per. Hotel Courtyard M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, $$

Flei

8 bld.2, Lyalin Pereulok M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Farm products, Home, $$

Focaccia

3 Kozitsky per. M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Chinese, Indian, $$

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Fonda

Ginkgo by Seiji

Free Bar

Gino Taki

Free Bar People

2 str.90 Ugreshskaya St. M. Dubrovka Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$$ 21-23 bld.1, Pokrovka M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Tex-mex, $$$ 26/1 Trubnaya St. M. Trubnaya Cuisine: European, $

French Cafe

3 Smolenskaya Pl. M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, French, Japanese, $$$

French cheese hole

15-17 Bolshoi Cherkasskii Per. M. Lubyanka Cuisine: French, $$$

Frendys

28/6 bld.3, Pokrovka M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: American, $

Friends Forever 18, Kozijinsky per. M. Tverskaya Cuisine: American, Italian, $$

Fusion Plaza

12, Krasnopresnenskaya nab. M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Indian , $$$

G Graf

8, 4th Dobryninsky Pereulok M. Dobryninskaya Cuisine: Italian, European, $$$$

Galereya

27 Petrovka M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: European, Seafood, $$$

Gallery

27, Petrovka M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Author’s, Asian, European, Italian, Russian, French, Japanese, $$$ ENG

Gandhara

15 bldg.7, Rochdelskaya M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Pakistani, $$$

Gayane’s

1/4 bld.2, Smolensky Pereulok M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Armenian, $$

Genatsvale

11 bld.2, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Genatsvale

12/1, Ostozhenka M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Georgian, $$

Giardino di pino

30/1 str.1 Obrucheva St. M. Kaluzhskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

3 Tverskaya, The Ritz-Carlton M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, $$$$

4, Sytinsky Pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Spanish, $$

Happiness

IL Camino

4B bld.4, Kozlovskiy Pereulok M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: European, Italian, French, $$$

6 Tverskaya Ul. Bldg.1 M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Japanese, Seafood, $$

5, Bolshoi Putinkovsky Pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Ñonfectionery, $$

Il Capriccio

Gino Taki

Happiness

IL Forno

58 Bol. Yakimanka M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Japanese, Seafood, $$

Giovedi Cafe

26, Ozerkovskaya Nabereznaya M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

3, Kamergersky pereulok M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: Confectionery, $$

Harbin

5 bld.1, Prospekt Mira M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Godunov

Harbin

Gogol-Mogol

Hard Rock Cafe

5/1, Teatralnaya Square M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Russian, $$$ 6 Gagarinsky Per. M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Golicin

bld. 4, 15 Staraya Basmannaya M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: Russian, $$

Good Beef

15-17 bld1, Bolshoi Cherkassky Pereulok M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Steaks, $$

Goodman Steak House Multiple locations M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Steakhouse, $$$

GQ Bar

5, Balchug M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: Asian, european, russian trend, $$$

Grand Cru

8 bld.1, Presnenskaya Nabereznaya M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Seafood, $$$

66, Niznyaia Pervomaiskaya M. Pervomaiskaya Cuisine: Chinese, $$

Building 4, 92 Lobachevskogo St. M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: Italian, $$$ 3/14 Ostojenka ul. M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

IL Forno

John Bull Pub

2/9 Smolenskaya Ploshchad M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: International, $$

Jourbon

81, Vavilova Street M. Universitet Cuisine: International, $$$

Ju-Ju

15, Smolenskiy Boulevard M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Author’s, Home, draw-heavy oven, $$$

Jukovka

8/10 Neglinnaya ul. M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Italian, $$

41/1 Marshala Jukova pr. M. Polezhayevskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European, $$$

IL Kamino

Kabanchik

4 Bld.4, Bolshoi Kozlovsky Pereulok M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: European, Swiss, $$$

44, Arbat M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: American, $$

27 Krasina St. M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Georgian, European, $

Italianets 13, Samotechnaya Ul, m. Trubnaya, Cuisine Italian, English menu price $$$

Help Bar

27 bld1, Tverskaya-Yamskaya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: European, Tex-mex, $$

True Italian cuisine from Executive Chef Giuseppe Todisco”

Hiro

bld. 32, 31 Dolgorukovskaya M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, $$

Hugo

39, Bolshaya Yakimanka M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: French, $$$

Il Patio

Multiple Cuisine: Italian, $$

Illarion

20/2 Pyatnickaya ul. M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $

Hunter

Illarion

Huntsman’s House and Safari Lodge

Indabar

Golovinskoe shosse 1a M. Vodny Stadion Cuisine: European, $$

32 Pokrovka M. Kurskaya Cuisine: German, $$$

119 Mira prospect, pav.67 VVC M. Botanichesky Sad Cuisine: Georgian, $ 24, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Uzbek, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, $

Hudson bar

Greenwich Pub

10, Butirsky Val M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: American, European, $$

52/5, Kosmodamianskaya Nabereznaya M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Pub Food, $$

Lively bar with good food, superb cocktails, great atmosphere & excellent service

Gusyatnikoff

2a Aleksandra Soljenicina St. M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$$

Kabinet

Building 4, 15 Malaya Kaluzskaya M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

Kalina Cafe

17 Prechistenskaya Nab. M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Russian, $$

Kalinka

“Cosmos” Hotel, 150 Prospekt Mira M. VDNKh Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Kamchatka

7, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: European, Russian, $

Kapri

7 Saharova Pr. M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

Karaoke Boom

46 Novoslobodskaya M. Mendeleyevskaya Cuisine: Italian, Japanese, Russian, $$$

Hachapuri

Hyppocratus

Insolito

Hachapuri

I Like Bar

Iskra Cafe-bar

36 Bol.Novodmitrievskaya M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

42 str.1 Dmitriya Ulyanova St. M. Akademicheskaya Cuisine: European, Caucasian, $$

Ichiban Boshi

Isola

Karetny Dvor

2/1 Shluzovaya Nab., bld. 7 M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$$ 10 Bolshoy Gnezdnikovskiy Per. M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $

Hachapuri

7 Ukrainskiy Bul. M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Hamon and Wine

2-3 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: French, Russian, $ 21, Shukhova St. M. Shabolovskaya Cuisine: European, $$$ Multiple locations Cuisine: Japanese, Seafood, $$

7/5, Pushechnaya M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Italian, $$

23 A Tarasa Shevhenko Emb., Bashnya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$

Kare

52/1, Povarskaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Azeri, Caucasian, Georgian, $

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Katie O Shea’s Groholsky Per 25, Bldg 5 M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Irish, $$ Genuine Irish pub with great beer, food and atmosphere

Karma Bar

3 Pushechnaya St. M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Japanese, $$$

Kasbar

Building 5, 3 Turchaninov Per. M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Arabic, European, French, International, Japanese, Seafood, $$

Kavkazskaya Plennitsa

36, Prospect Mira M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Kebab City

Kitaisky Kvartal

12 bldg.1, Prospect Mira M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Chinese, $$$

Kitaisky Letchik Jao Da

15, Neglinnaya M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Georgian, $$

Khinkalnaya

Kamergersky Per.6 M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Brasserie, $$ 23/10 Petrovka St. M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Russian, $

Kleopatra

2a 1905 Goda Ul., Bldg. 2 M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: International, $$$

Knyaz Bagration 58 Pluscgikha M. Park Kultury Cuisine: European, Georgian, $$$

Kogo Fragola

71, Bolshaya Ordinka M. Dmitrovskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$

12a Suzdalskaya St. M. Novogireyevo Cuisine: European, Japanese, $

Khinkalnaya

Kolbassoff

11, Trubnikovsky Pereulok M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Gerogian, $$

Khlestakov-Traktir Build.1, 9 3rd Frunzenskaya St. M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: French, Fusion, Russian, $$

Khorosho Sidim 17 bld.1, Pokrovka M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Georgian, $$

Khram Drakona 37 Leninsky Pr. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Chinese, $$

Kioto

55 bld 1, Mitinskaya M. Mitino Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, $$

Kish-Mish

28, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Uzbek, $$

Lazzetti

Little Japan

Le Gateau

Lobby Bar

Le Gateau

Look In!

15 Nikolskaya ulitsa M. Ploshchad Revolyutsii Cuisine: Beer Bar, $$

Kuhmeister

Build.1, 47 Piatnitskaia M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: French, Fusion, $$

Kult

5 Yauzskaya emb. M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Spanish, $$$$

Kvas

Presnenskaya Nab., 2, Afimall City , 5th floor Metro Vystavochnaya, M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: Brasserie, $$

Kitezh

Khinkalnaya

Kruzhka

Kitchenette

Ketama Bar

14, Shmitovsky Pereulok M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Indian, $

Lisya Nora

Kuznetsky Most 20

Kitchenette

Khajuraho

Lawson’s Bar

4, Prechistenka M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$$

25, Lubyansky Proezd M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Asian, Russian, $$$

5 Kamergersky Pereulok M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Azeri, European, Japanese, $$ 5/6 str.5 Bolshaya Dmitrovka M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, Moroccan, $$

Kruazh

Multiple M. Oktyabrskoye Pole Cuisine: Russian, $$

Kolkhi

1/1 Leningradsky Pr. M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Georgian, $$

Komi

62 Volokolamskoe shosse M. Sokol Cuisine: Russian, $$

Konigs Platz

1a str.2 Kozitskiy per. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, German, $$

20, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: European, $

20 SadovayaChernogryazskaya St. M. Kurskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$

La Bottega

5B, Lesnaya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

La Bottega Siciliana 2, Okhotny Ryad M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Italian, $$

La Cantina

5/6, Tverskaya M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Mexican, American, $$

La Delizia

14/6, Bolshaya Sadovaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, $$ 4 Nogorniy bul. M. Nagornaya Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, $ 23, Tverskaya M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, French, $$ 2 bld.1, Paveletskaya Square M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, French, $

Lemonade

7 Kievskaya St. M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Leningrad

21/40 Kalanchevskaya St. M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

9 Bolshaya Dmitrovka St. M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Los Bandidos

7 Bolshaya Ordynka St. M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: Seafood, Spanish, Vegetarian, $$$$

Louisiana Steak House

30 Pyatnitskaya, bldg.4 M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: American, $$

Luce

21, 1-ya Tverskaya-Yamskaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Japanese, $$

Letto Club

Luch

LexÑlubCafe

Luciano

33 str.1 Povarskaya St. M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Italian, Japanese, $

27 bld.1, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: Coctails, $$

56a Sevastopolskiy prospect M. Belyayevo Cuisine: European, Italian, Caucasian, $$$

2 kor.2 Balaklavskiy Pr. (Aridan) M. Chertanovskaya Cuisine: American, European, Caucasian, $

La Gourmet

Life Pub

20 Fr. Engelsa M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: European, $$

1/4, Solyansky Tupic M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Confectionary, $

La Luna

Liga Pap

Ludvig

La Mancha

Light House

L’Albero

Lilit

L’Altro Bosco Café

1/3 Bolshaya Polyanka St. M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: Caucasian, $$$ 69 Sadovnichevskaya nab. M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: European, International, Japanese, $$ 12a Kravchenko ul. M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: European, Spanish, $$

La Maree

Malaya Gruzinskaya ul., 23 M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$

La Stazione

24, Bolshaya Lubyanskaya M. Sretensky Bulvar Cuisine: European, Italian, Spanish, $$ 7 kor.1 Michurinskiy pr. M. Universitet Cuisine: Italian, $$$ 2 Ohotniy Ryad St. (Moscow Hotel) M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, $

LiLu

36a Berejkovskaya nab. M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, Eastern, $$

Latuk

Limonchello

Krambambula

Lavash

Linderhof

= Menu in English

28 Tverskaya St. (Mariott Grand Hotel) M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, $

8/2 Novinskiy bulvar M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: French, $$$$

18/1 Olympiysky Prospekt M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Italian, $$

352 Prospekt Mira M. VDNKh Cuisine: Belarussian, $$

12a, Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

Les Menus Par Pierre Gagnaire

Sireneviy bulvar 25a M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: Caucasian, European, Russian , $$

Koonjoot

2 Dayev Per. M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: European, $$

1/15, Yauzskaya M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: vegetarian, $$$ 7 Tsvetnoi Bul. M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Armenian, $$$

4 Komsomolskii Prospekt M. Park Kultury Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$ Korpus 1, 7 Lomonosovskii Prospekt M. Universitet Cuisine: European, German, Vegetarian, $$

3, Smolenskaya Square M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Italian, Author’s, $$

Ludi kak ludi

3/1 Marshala Vasilevskogo St. M. Shchukinskaya Cuisine: Czech, European, German, Russian, $$ Delegatskaya Str., 7 M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$ ENG 10 Petrovka St. M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Macaroni

62 Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Ul. M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Madam Galife

26/1, Prospect Mira M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Georgian, European, $$

Maestro de Oliva Mega moll-2 M. Rechnoi Vokzal Cuisine: Spanish, $$

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Maharaja

Milk and Honey

Nobu

Old Havana

Maison Elitaire

MinSelHoz

Noev Kovcheg

Old Man Muller

2/1 Pokrovka M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Indian, $$ 1 A, 37/43 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya St. M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: French, Mediterranean, $$$

Mandarin

2 Mal. Cherkasskiy Per. M. Lubyanka Cuisine: Pan Asian, $

Mario

17 Klimashkina Ul. M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Market

18 bld.1, SadovayaSamotechnaya M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Seafood, Asian, Chineese, $$$

Marocana

1/15, Kotelnicheskaya Nabereznaya M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Moroccan, $

Martinez bar

1, Sretenka M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Maxim bar

15, Tsvetnoy Bulvar M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: European, $$$

Maxima Pizza

78, Leningradsky Pr. M. Sokol Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, $

Mayak

19/3, Bolshaya Nikitskaya M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

McDonald’s

Multiple Cuisine: American, $

Megu

8/2 Novinskiy bulvar M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$$$

Merkato

9, Krymskii Val M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

Mestiere

38, Myasnitskaya M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, $$$ 5, Petrovka M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Home, $

Mio DJ Cafe

1, Kaluzskaya Square M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: French, Italian, $$

Moo-Moo

Multiple locations M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Russian, European, $

9 Maly Ivanovsky pereulok M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Georgian, $$$

Nostalgie

12A, Chistoprudny Boulevard M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, French, Japanese, $$$

Talalihina St. 28/1 M. Volgogradsky Prospekt Cuisine: Cuban, $$ Multiple Cuisine: German, $$$

Old School Pub 15, Bol. Cherkasskiy M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

NIGHT FLIGHT

More vnutri

7, Pesochnaya alleya, Park Sokolniki M. Sokolniki Cuisine: European, Asian, Vegetarian, $$

Moscow Good Food

Club

17 Tverskaya St M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Scandinavian, European, $$$ +7 495 629 4165 www.nightflight.ru

Mr. Lee

7, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Panasian, Author’s, $$$ Komsomolsky Pr 28 M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: Mexican, $

Myasnoy Club

19 str.1 Kuznetskiy Most St. M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, $$$$

N Cafe

87/89 Leninskiy Pr. M. Universitet Cuisine: European, Azerbaijan, $$

Na Melnitse

24, Sadovaya-Spasskaya M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Nabi

13, Prechistenskaya Nabereznaya M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Asian, $$$

Navarro’s Bar & Grill

23, Shmitovskiy Proezd M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Mediterranean, Latin American, $$ 11 Novinskiy bul. M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: European, American, $$

Oriental Tale

22 D Frunzenskaya Embankment M. Frunzenskaya Cuisine: Azeri, Russian, $

Osteria Da Cicco 3, Banniy Pereulok M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, $$

Osteria Montiroli Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 60 M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Osteria Montiroli Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 60 M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Osteria nel Parco 9, Krymskiy Val M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

“Superb food at sensible prices prepared by excellent chefs with friendly, efficient service”

Muchachos

News&More

38, Leninsky Prospect M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Italian, $$$

B.Dmitrovskaya 20/1 M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Japaneese, $$$$

Osteria Numero Uno 2, Tsvetnoy Boulevard M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Italian, $$

Ostozhye Novoi

25 Universitetskii Prospekt M. Universitet Cuisine: Uzbek, $$

NYM yoga

4/5, Plotnikov Pereulok M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, Asian, Vegetarian, $

O2 Lounge

Olimp

24 Luznetskaya Embankment M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, European, Russian, $$

Oliva

3/5, Smolensky Boulevard M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Middle Eastern, $$

3, Tverskaya M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: International, $$$

Olivetta

Oblaka

Olympos

Oblomov

Om Cafe

48 Kutuzovskiy pr. M. Slavyansky Bulvar Cuisine: European, $$$$ 5, Monetchikovskyi 1-iy Pereulok M. Dobryninskaya Cuisine: Russian, European, $$$$

Octyabr

24, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Japanese, European, $

Ogonek

5/2, Potapovsky Pereulok M. Sretensky Bulvar Cuisine: European, Asian, $$

20 Malaya Dmitrovka Ul M. Pushkinskaya, $$$ 13 Akademika Korolyova St. M. VDNKh Cuisine: European, $$

40/1 Ostojenka ul. M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Russian, $$$

Otkrity Mir

18, Pavlovskaya M. Tulskaya Cuisine: European, Indian, $

Oñakbasi

10 str.2 Kozjevnicheskaya St. M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, Turkish, East, $$

Pacha

4 Pokrovka M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: East, European, Caucasus, $$$

Pachito Bar

15/1 Novy Arbat Ul. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Thai, $$

10, Nikolskaya street M. Lubyanka Cuisine: American, European, $$

Onegin

Palati Nu Cafe

Orange Cow’s House

Palazzo Ducale

12/2 Prechistenka St. M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$ 18 Pavlovskaya St. M. Tulskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

11/13 str. 1 Kozjevnicheskaya St. M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, $$$ 3 Tverskoy Boulevard M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Ogorod

MUZEY Restaurant

Moscow Good Food

Club

Muzey, Kosmodimianskaya nab. 52/7 (next to Swisshotel) M. Paveletskaya Cuisine Italian $$$$ Extremely comfortable Italian restaurant serving high quality creative & traditional Italian cuisine, personally cooked by Chef Marco Lachetta

30/2 Prospekt Mira M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, $$

Old Batum

7, Academika Bochvara St., bld.1 M. Shchukinskaya Cuisine: Fusion, $$

Old Berlin

25 Arbat St. M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: German, $$

OSTERIA DELLA PIAZZA BIANCA

Moscow Good Food

Club

Lesnaya street 5a M. Belarusskaya Cuisine: Italian $$$$ Typical Italian traditions for food and hospitality. Food care is the most important aspect, with freshness and simplicity as the main characteristics. Feel and breath Italian culture and true Italian cuisine.

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Paluba

8 Berezhkovskaya nab. M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, Turkish, $$$

Pancho Villa

52, Bolshaya Yakimanka M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Mexican, $$

Pane & Olio Pizzeria 38 Bldg 1. Myasnitskaya M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Pane & Olio Trattoria 22, Timura Frunze M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Panorama

5 Smolenskaya St. (Hotel Golden Ring, 2st floor) M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, $$$$

Papa Joe’s

Building 26, 1A Nikoloyamskaya St. M. Taganskaya Cuisine: American, Latin American, Mexican, $$

Papa John’s

Multiple Cuisine: American, $

Papa’s Place

ul. Nikol’skaya 10 M. Lubyanka Cuisine: American, International, $$

Paparazzi

3 Pyatnitskaya St. M. Novokuznetskaya Cuisine: European, American, $$

Paper Moon

Build. 1, 17 Petrovka St. M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian, $$$

Paradise

2a Nagornoe Shosse M. Planernaya Cuisine: European, Caucasian, $$

Parisienne

31/9, Leningradsky Pr. M. Dinamo Cuisine: French, European, $$$$

Pasta Mama

12/9, Spiridonevsky Pereulok M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$$

Pattaiya

Peking Duck

17, Petrovka M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$ 9 1st Proezd Perovo Pole M. Perovo Cuisine: European, Italian, $

Peshi

10 Kutuzovsky Prospekt M. Kutuzovskaya Cuisine: Seafood, $$$

Petrovich

24/3, Myasnitskaya M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Russian, $$

Piccolino

11 1st Kolobovsky Pereulok M. Trubnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Pink Cadillac

4-6, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ulitsa M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: American, $$

21/1 Pravdy St. M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Russian, European, $$

Polyana

Prego Pizza & Pasta

75 A Udalcova St. M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: Europe, East, $$

Pomest’e

Tamanskaya 46 M. Polezhayevskaya Cuisine: American, Caucasian, European, French, Italian, Mediterranean, Seafood, Spanish, Vegetarian, $$$

Ponton

Berezhkovskaya Nabereznaya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, $$

73 Volgogradsky Prospect M. Tekstilshchiki Cuisine: Italian, $$

20 Arkhitektora Vlasova St. M. Novye Cheryomushki Cuisine: European, $$$

Pino-Pizza

Porto Chervo

32 Perovsky St., bld. 1 M. Perovo Cuisine: Italian, $$

24, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

Pino-Pizza

Porto Maltese

23 Bolshaya Bronnaya St., bld. 1 M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

3 Varvarka Ul. M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Seafood, $$$$

Pinocchio

21 Pravda St. M. Savyolovskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$$

23 A Naberejnaya Trasa Shevhenko M. Mezhdunarodnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Pizza Amore

43 Leninsky Pr. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Italian, $

Pizza Express 17 Tverskaya St. M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Italian, $

Pizza Hut

17 Tsvetnoy Bulvar M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: American, Italian, $$$ 54 bld.2, Sadovnicheskaya M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$

Planet Sushi

Plotnikov Pub

Plotinikov pereulok 22/16 M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Pochtmeyster

47/23, Arbat M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, German, $

Pravda 21

19 Pokrovka St. M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: Tibetan, $$$

Porter House

Multiple Cuisine: Japanese, $$$

= Menu in English

Pokrovskie vorota

Pino-Pizza

Pavilion

10 Nizhnyaya Radishchevskaya Street M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Russian, $

“Polo Club, one of the best hotel restaurants in town serving quality steaks and seafood”

Pepper

Pizzeria il Pomodoro

Pechki-Lavochki

11/12, Petrovka M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, $$

Peperoni

14, Bol. Sukharevskaya Square M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: Thai, Chinese, $$ 7 bld.1, Bolshoy Patriarshiy Pereulok M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$

POLO CLUB

24 Tverskaya St. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Chinese, Vegetarian, $$$

Porto Maltese

11 Leninsky Prospect St. M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$$

Porto Maltese

31 A Leningradsky Prospect St. M. Dinamo Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$$$

Porutshik Rzhevsky Build. 4, 4 Bolshoy Tolmachevsky Pereulok M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: Fusion, Russian, Vegetarian, $$

Poslednyaya Kaplya

4 Strastnoi Bul., Bldg. 3 M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, $$

Post Scriptum

42b Miklukho-Maklaya St. M. Belyayevo Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

Praga

2/1, Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Brazilian, European, International, Japanese, Russian, $$$$

6, Dolgorukovskaya M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Presnya Cafe

7, Stolyarniy Pereulok M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Caucasian, $$

Prichal

Ilyinskoe Shosse, 2km M. Krylatskoye Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, Uzbek, Italian, $$$

Prime Star

77 bld.2, Sadovnicheskaya naberezhnaya (Aurora) M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Mixed, $$

Prince

16 Kashirskoe Shosse M. Kashirskaya Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, European, Georgian, Russian, $$$

Prospektbar

42 str.2a, Shepkina ul. M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, $$

Radio City Bar & Grill 5, Boshaya Sadovaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: International, $$

Ragout

16, bld.5, Olimpiisky Prospect M. Prospekt Mira Cuisine: European, $$$

Rakhat Lukum 9 Bol. Dmitrovka M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Uzbek, $$$

Razguliay

11 Spartakovskaya St. M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$

Real Food Restaurant

Red Lion

12 Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: British, $$

Red Point

7 Autumn Avenue (Osenny bulvar) M. Krylatskoye Cuisine: European, French, Japanese, Seafood, $$

Red Sails

66 Aviationnaya Street M. Shchukinskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Red Square

1 Krasnaya ploschad M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Russian, $

Reka

6 bld.2, Bersenenskaya Nabereznaya M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Restaurant Moschoice

15 Kosygina St. M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: European, $

Revolutsiya

40, Novokuznetskaya M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: Home, $$$

Rialto

9/11 Bolshoy Fakelny Lane M. Marksistskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$

Ribny Bazaar

10/2, Tryokhprudny Pereulok M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Seafood, European, $$$

Richard Lion Heart 29 Michurinsky Prospekt M. Universitet Cuisine: European, $$$

Rio-Grande

No.19 Zeleny Prospekt M. Perovo Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, European, Georgian, Mexican, $

Rio-Rio

16 Krasnopresnenskaya Emb. M. Kutuzovskaya Cuisine: Brazilian, European, $$$$

River Side

10 Mantulinskaya St. M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: European, Chineese, Japaneese, International, $$$

12, Krasnopresnenskaya nab. (Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre) M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

Riverside cafe

Red & White

4, Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: French, $$$

15 Lesnaya St. (Hotel Holiday Inn) M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, $$$

29, Serebryanicheskaya Nabereznaya M. Kurskaya Cuisine: european, $$

Riviere

Roberto

20 Rozhdestvenskii Bulvar M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Roll Hole

3 Holodilnyy Per. M. Tulskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, Vegetarian, $

Romanov

17/1 Neglinnaya ulitsa M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, Russian, European, $$

Roni

20/1, Petrovka M. Trubnaya Cuisine: Asian grill, $$$

Rosemary

26 Nikoloyamskaya M. Taganskaya Cuisine: French, International, Italian, $

Royal Family

15 Ul. Kosygina (Hotel Orlyonok) M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: Korean, $

Royale

21/1 Begovaya St. (in the Hippodrome building) M. Begovaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, $

Ryba

4 Nashekinsky Per. M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Seafood, $

Rybatskaya Derevnya All-Russia Exhibition Center, Selskohozyaistvennaya St. M. Botanichesky Sad Cuisine: Georgian, Russian, $$$

Rytsarsky Club 28 Kosygina M. Vorobyovy Gory Cuisine: European, $$$$

Sahara

1 Shcholkovskoe shosse M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: European, Caucasian, $$

Saigon

Sanduny

14 str.4, Neglinnaya M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Chinese, Russian, Uzbek, $$

Saperavi

27, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Gerogian, $$$

Staraya Usadba 29a, Metallurgov ul. M. Perovo Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

5/6, Nikitsky Pereulok M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: Pub food, $$ “Traditional Irish hospitality with great pub food and excellent beers”

Seven Fridays

6, Vorontsovskaya M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Russian, French, $$$

Shamrock bar

11 str.1 Noviy Arbat St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, Irland, $$

Shanti

2/1 Myasnitsky Proyesd M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: Vietnamese, $$$

Shantil

57, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Sharabara

29/3 Lomonosovskiy pr. M. Prospekt Vernadskogo Cuisine: Eastern, European, $$

Shashlichnaya #1 2, Ryazansky Pereulok M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: European, $

Sirena

15, Bolshaya Spasskaya M. Sukharevskaya Cuisine: Seafood, $$$$

Sisters Grimm

11, Stoleshnikov Pereulok M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Author, European, $$

Sixties diners

16/2 str.2 Noviy Arbat St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, American, $

Skazka

56 Profsoyuznaya St. M. Novye Cheryomushki Cuisine: European, $

Sky Lounge

32à Leninskii Prospekt M. Leninsky Prospekt Cuisine: European, Japanese, $$$

Smotra Bar & Restaurant

66 Leningradskiy pr. M. Aeroport Cuisine: European, Japanese, $

Crocus City (66 km MKAD) M. Myakinino Cuisine: European, Japanese, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, $$$

SCANDINAVIA 7 Maliy Palanshevskiy Per. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, Skandinavian, $$ “Comfortable, calm restaurant with high quality cuisine offering many Scandinavian specialities”

13 str.2, Bol.Lubyanka M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: European, $$

Starlite Diner

6, Vernadskogo Pr M. Universitet Cuisine: American, $$

Starlite Diner

9a, Korovy Val M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: American, $$

Starlite Diner

12/8 Bolshoi Savvinsky Nab. M. Sportivnaya Cuisine: International, $$$$

Steyks

21 Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya St. M. Taganskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Takasa

2/1 bld.1, Kutuzovsky prospect M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$$

Take

No.20, 60-Letia Octyabrya Prospekt M. Akademicheskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

Talavera

2 Europe squar (RadIsson Slavyanskaya Hotel) M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Taliesin

11, Nicolskaya M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, Italian, $$

Tanuki

Multiple Cuisine: Japanese, $$

Tapa De Comida 20/2 Trubnaya St. M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Spanish, $$$$

Strelka

14/5 Bersenevskaya naberejnaya M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

SQUARE

Super Mario

Stakan

Sushi-Bar Kiot

3/3, Teatralniy pr. M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, Russian, Japanese, $$

25 Khoroshevskoye Shosse M. Polezhayevskaya Cuisine: Thai, $$$

Tancy

16 Bolshaya Sadova M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: American, $$

Suliko

60 str.1 Brestkaya 1st St. M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, English, $

Taisky Slon

Starlite Diner

Soup Cafe

62/25 1st Brestskaya, bldg.3 M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Multiple location Cuisine: American, $$

26 Valovaya M. Paveletskaya Cuisine: European, $$$$

Moscow’s original diners still serving our favourite food

SOHO Rooms

T.G.I. Friday’s

16/5, Bolotnaya Square M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: American, $$

8a, Strasnow Bulevard M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: American, $$

2, 1905 Goda M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Ukrainian, $$$

Shore House

Stariki

STARLITE DINER

Shatush

14/2 str.1, Myasnitskaya M. Lubyanka Cuisine: European, $$

Pyatnitskaya Ul. 52, bldg. 2 M. Polyanka Cuisine: Steaks, $$

Seiji

5/2, Komsomolsky Prospect M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Japanese, $$$$

Sweet Home Cafe

T-Bone

SILVERS IRISH PUB

34 bld.1, Petrovka M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Pub Food, $$$

Shinok

14, Nikitsky Boulevard M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern, $$

Scotland Yard

Sakhili

Shyolkovskoe shosse 68 M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: European, Uzbek, $$

Sindbad

Ural’skaya 5 M. Shcholkovskaya Cuisine: European, $$

39 Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ul. M. Belorusskaya Cuisine: Vietnamese, $

Sandik

Multiple Cuisine: European, $$$

Sayani

17, Gogolevsky Boulevard M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Chinese, European, Japanese, Tai, $$$$

6 Bolshoi Karetny Per Bldg 1 M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Shvarcvald

42/2 Bol. Polyanka M. Polyanka Cuisine: Georgian, $$$ 41 Gastello St. M. Sokolniki Cuisine: Armenian, Azeri, European, Georgian, $$ Krymsky val, 10 M. Oktyabrskaya Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, $$

Tapa’rillas Tapas Bar

4/3 bld.3, Strasnoy Boulevard M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: Spanish , $$

Taras Bulba

Multiple Cuisine: Ukrainian, $$

Tatler club

2/1, Kutuzovsky Prospekt M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$$

Tavern Admiral Benbau Building A, 52 Sudostroitelnaya St. M. Kolomenskaya Cuisine: Fusion, $$

Tchaikovsky

31/4, Triumfalnaya Squqre M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, $$

Tel Aviv

30/1, Tsvetnoy Boulevard M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Israeli, $$$

Moscow’s Bars, Clubs, Cafés and Restaurants Temple Bar

Trattoria Venezia

Tequila Bar & Boom

Tri kabana

Multiple M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, $$ 4, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Mexican, $

Terrace

13 Uglichskaja St. M. Altufyevo Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Terrace

The Cosmos Hotel, 150 Prospekt Mira M. VDNKh Cuisine: European, $$

Thai Elephant

25 bld, 1, Horoshevskoe shosse M. Polezhayevskaya Cuisine: Eastern, European. Thai, $$$

The Standard

Bolshoi Zlatoustinsky Per.9 M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: American, International, $$

Tiflis

32 bld.2, Ostozhenka M. Park Kultury Cuisine: Georgian, $$$

Time Out Bar

5, Sadovaya ulitsa Hotel pekin M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Timeterria LiPeople

4, 2nd Shemilovsky pereulok M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Pizzeria, $

17, Shabolovka M. Shabolovskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

34 kor.2 Ryazanskiy pr. M. Ryazansky Prospekt Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Trubadur

19 bld.1, Kuznetsky Most M. Kuznetsky Most Cuisine: Author’s, Home, European, Italian, $$$

Traktir Chyornaya Koshka 6 Vorontsovskaya Ul. M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$

Trattoria Venezia

9 bld.3, Stoleshnikov Pereulok M. Chekhovskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Trattoria Venezia

4/3 bld.3, Strastnoi Bulevard M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

= Menu in English

5/14 Porechnaya St. M. Maryino Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

6, Maly Palashevsky Pereulok M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Vinyl

4 Pevcheskiy Per. M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: European, $$

Vision Cocktail Hall

20 Mal. Bronnaya M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

11 Noviy Arbat St., bld. 1 M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, Japaneese, $$$

Truffaldino

Un Sun

Viskonti

20 Marksistskaya Ul., bldg 1 M. Taganskaya Cuisine: Italian, Seafood, $$

Tsarskaya Okhota

186a, Zhukovka village, Rublevo-Uspenskoye shosse M. Krylatskoye Cuisine: Russian, Hunting, $$$

Tsar’s Hunt

186a Zhukovka, RublyovoUspenskoye Shosse, 9 kilometers from MKAD M. Krylatskoye Cuisine: Russian, $$$$

Tsifry

40 bld.2, Pokrovka M. Kurskaya Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, $$$

Tsimmis

3, Novoslobodskaya M. Novoslobodskaya Cuisine: Jewish, $$$

Some of the best steaks in Moscow. Great service, great drinks and great prices

Tonino Lamborghini Boutique Caffe

Ugra

Vinosyr

Uilliam’s

Multiple M. Taganskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

1, Tretyakovsky Proyezd M. Lubyanka Cuisine: International, $$$

2, Barrikadnaya M. Barrikadnaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, Czech, European, $$

2/1 bld.1, Kutuzovsky prospect M. Kiyevskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

TORRO GRILL

Tommy D Gastro Bar

U Shveika

Tunnel

7 Lubyansky Proezd M. Lubyanka Cuisine: American, European, International, Japanese, $

Tutto Bene

9, Achsheulov Pereulok M. Turgenevskaya Cuisine: European, Korean, $

Unicum

10 2nd TverskayaYamskaya St. M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: French, $$$

Usadba in Archangelskoe

Arñhangelskoe Settlement M. Tushinskaya Cuisine: Russian, $$$

Uzbehka

23/10 Petrovka St. M. Pushkinskaya Cuisine: Mediterranean, $$

Uzbekistan

29/14 Neglinnaya Ul. M. Trubnaya Cuisine: Arabic, Azeri, Chinese, Uzbek, $$$

Vanil

1, Ostozhenka M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Russian, French, Japanese, $$$

Vanilla Sky

Build.3, 11-13 Nikolskaya St. M. Okhotny Ryad Cuisine: European, Russian, $$

Vapiano

26/1 Prospekt mira M. Yugo-Zapadnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Venice

16 Spartakovskaja Square M. Baumanskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Mixed, $$$

Veranda u Dachi

8, Presnenskaya nab., bld.1 M. Vystavochnaya Cuisine: Italian, $$$

70, Zhukovka village, Rublevo-Uspenskoye shosse Cuisine: Italian, Uzbek, Japanese, $$$

Tverbul

Vesna

24 Tverskoy bul. M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, $$$$

Twin Pigs

19a Akademika Koroleva St. M. VDNKh Cuisine: Russian, Japanese, Philipino, $$$

Tyrandot

26/5, Tverskoy bulvar M. Tverskaya Cuisine: European, Chinese, Japanese, $$$$

19, Novy Arbat M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: Author’s, Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese, $$$

Veterok

24, Gorki-2 village, Rublevo-Uspenskoye shosse Cuisine: Home cooking from Arkady Novikov, $$$

Vinil

13 str.2 SadovayaSpasskaya St. M. Krasnye Vorota Cuisine: European, Russian, Japanese, $$$

28a Shipilovskaya St. M. Domodedovskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Vivace

7 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya St. M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Vizavi

6 Serpukhovskoy Val M. Tulskaya Cuisine: European, $$

Vodny

39 bld.6, Leningradskoye Shosse M. Vodny Stadion Cuisine: Italian, Uzbek, Japanese, $$$

Vogue Cafe

7/9, Kuznetsky Most M. Teatralnaya Cuisine: European, $$$

White Cafe

36/9, Novy Arbat M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, $$$

White clouds

4, Pokrovka M. Chistye Prudy Cuisine: European, Asian, Vegetarian, Mexican, $

White Rabbit

3 Smolenskaya Pl. M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, $$$

Who is Who (Karaoke) 15a Oruzjeyniy per. M. Mayakovskaya Cuisine: European, Japanese, $$$

William Bass

9 Malaya Yakimanka St. M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: European, $$$

Wok Express

26 Bolshaya Nikitskaya St. M. Arbatskaya Cuisine: European, Asian, $$

X.O.

25 str.1 Rusanova pr. M. Sviblovo Cuisine: European, Caucasian, $

Yar

32/2, Leningradsky Prospect M. Dinamo Cuisine: French, Russian, $$$$

Yasniy Perec

51/23 Pervomaysky St. M. Pervomaiskaya Cuisine: Russian, International, $$

Yasumi

61a Profsoyaznaya ul. M. Kaluzhskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

Yoko

5, Soimonovskiy prospekt M. Kropotkinskaya Cuisine: Japanese, author’s, $$$$

Yolki Palki

Multiple M. Tretyakovskaya Cuisine: Russian, $

Yujung

12, Krasnopresnenskaya Nabereznaya M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda Cuisine: Asian, Japanese, Korean, $$

Z-Lounge

3 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya St. M. Tsvetnoy Bulvar Cuisine: Italian, $$$

Zafferano

8/10, Novinsky Bulevard M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Azeri, European, Japanese, $$$

Zafferano

Vegas Mall, 25th km MKAD Cuisine: Azeri, European, Japanese, $$

Zolotaya Vobla

9 Sushchevsky Val Ul. M. Savyolovskaya Cuisine: Beer Restaurants, $$

Zolotoi Drakon 15a Kalanchevskaya M. Komsomolskaya Cuisine: Chinese, $$

Zolotoi Kupol

10/2, 10-Gorky township, Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Shosse M. Molodyozhnaya Cuisine: European, Russian, Caucasian, $$$

Zolotoy Dar

154 Profsoyuznaya St. M. Tyoply Stan Cuisine: European, Russian, $$$

Zucker

12/2, Bolshoy Kozikhinsky Pereulok M. Tverskaya Cuisine: Moroccan, Lebanese, Syrian, Persian, Bukharan, $$$

Yan Pen

3/7, Pokrovka M. Kitay-gorod Cuisine: Korean, $$$

Yapona Mama

4 Smolensky Bulvar. M. Smolenskaya Cuisine: Japanese, $$

Community Services

British Business Club President: Don Scott Web site: www.britishclub.ru

Italian Business Club (ITAM) President: Giovanni Stornante

The Association of European Business (AEB) CEO: Dr. Frank Schauff

Today, the British Business Club supports more than 600 British or affiliated people and companies with regular meetings and charitable events. We have strong local contacts and help where we can, if not directly, then at least with a guiding hand to a person, organisation or ministry. Russia continues to offer massive opportunities to British businesses, but it takes stamina to see them through. The BBC offers a small sanctuary of Britain to help in these times. We organise social and professional events for the Italian community. We bring Italians together, help their integration when they move to the big city, facilitate the exchange of ideas, experience and opportunities between the Italian and other business communities. Ultimately, we make Italy a little closer to Russia. Any organisations and individual in Moscow that are either Italian or focus their business on Italy can join the club. AEB is an active community of about 630 members, providing a network for sharing opinion and experience. The AEB is an advocate of its members’ opinions, generated in 40 industrial and crosssectorial committees, sub- committees and working groups. We develop cooperation between Moscow and European business circles through high profile conferences, briefings, round tables and other business events.

Australian Business in Europe, Russia (ABIE) Managing Director and Founder: Slava Konovalov Web site: www. australianbusiness.ru

The Irish Business Club Chairperson: Avril Conway Web site: www.moscowirishclub.ru

The Danish Business Club in Moscow Chairman: Kasper Ditlevsen Daytime job: Commercial Director – Uhrenholt Russia & CIS http://www.dbcmoscow.camp9.org

The ABIE has an international membership of about 1,000 drawn mostly from Australian companies with business interests in Europe and from a wide range of European companies with reciprocal interest in Australia. ABIE hosts a range of events designed to keep members up-to-date with business, political, sports and cultural developments occurring in Australia. It also runs a social programme to facilitate networking. The members of the Irish Business Club are a mix of both Russian and Irish professional people and private individuals. It takes some time to understand the Russian culture and to make friends. Russian people are very well educated and I truly believe our role is to transfer knowledge and understanding. This is sometimes a challenge for people. We try and help in these respects as much as we can.

The Danish Business Club has both corporate and private members, almost all of whom are based in or doing business in Moscow. About 80% of our subscribing members are Danish, but that doesn’t mean that 80% of all participants at all events are Danish. The club holds business events and also social events, such as the Stambord at the Restaurant Skandinavia once a month.

Community Services Women’s Clubs/Associations The Swedish Women’s Educational Association (SWEA) Contacts: Cecilia Wettstam, President SWEA Moscow Tel: +7 985 233 9687 Email: ordfsweamoskva@gmail.com Website: www.swea.org/moskva www.sweamoskva.blogspot.com

SWEA is an international organisation, with 7,500 members in 34 countries all over the world. The fact that the 90-member strong Moscow chapter fits into a large international organisation, has many advantages. The main purpose of the SWEA in Moscow is to act as a network for members, to support Swedish culture and Swedish language; this is very important for us.

The majority of SWEA’s 90 members in Russia are accompanying spouses, even though the trend is that more and more women come here by themselves for career reasons working for Swedish companies. We also have a surprisingly large number of Russians ladies as members who have maybe lived in Sweden, or have studied Swedish here, and they are of course also welcome as members. Our doors are also open to other Scandinavians.

De Tulpen The Main goal of the Tulips is to provide a social platform for the Dutch speaking ladies in Moscow, do things of interest together and have fun! When you are abroad, one’s own culture becomes so much more important. If anybody wants to connect with us, please find us on the Dutch Cub web site. If people want to go and visit museums, they can do that one their own. But if they want to speak their mother tongue with other people here in Moscow, then here we are. http://www.nlclubmoskou.nl/

The British Women’s Club (BWC)

BWC was set up in 2000. When British women arrive here they may need help and support from each other to understand basic things like where to shop for food, information about schools and to get to know other Brits. Mainly it is a help group, because it can be quite a shock settling here if you don’t speak Russian. Women generally introduce themselves before they move to Moscow. And we let the ladies know on what is going on in the city. As long as you have a British passport yourself or you married to somebody who holds a British passport you can become the member of BWC. We have quite a few Russian wives who are members. Once a month we hold our monthly meeting at the British embassy. We have a committee with ten members. We meet once a month and make decisions about what we are going to do during the months ahead. Our major activities are planned almost six months ahead. The ladies themselves decided what they want to do. Website: http://bwcmoscow.org.uk/

Community Services Gyms and Fitness Clubs Private membership Do you have a favourite gym or fitness club that we have not mentioned? Please send in your recommendations for inclusion in future editions to editor@moscowexpatlife.ru Marina Club

Hard Candy

50-meter indoor pool with 10 tracks and 12-meter aquaslop. Open daily: 07:00-24:00. Address: Leningradskoye sh., 25a Metro: Voikovskaya Tel: 363-6061 Web: www.marina-club.ru

Address: B.Kislovskiy per 9 Moscow Russia 125009 Front Desk: +7 495 933 7100 Mon - Fri: 7:00-24:00 Weekends and Holidays: 09:00-10:00

Beach Club A surprisingly beautiful white-sand beach flanks the Moscow River, furnished with lounge chairs, beach umbrellas and a well-stocked bar. Active types can rent jet skis, play volleyball and even swim. Of course there is a place to dock your yacht. Address: Leningradskoe Shosse 39 Metro: Vodny Stadion Website: http://beach-club.ru Phone: 495 979 9090

Locstream rollerdrome

Trud

Rollerdrome (Kant) Sports Club

Part of Planeta Fitness club. 50-meter indoor pool with 8 tracks. Open: Mon-Fri 08:3022:15, Sat 08:30-21:00, Sun 09:00-21:00. Address: Varshavskoye sh., 14 Metro: Tulskaya Tel: +7 495 958-1501 Web: www.fitness.ru

Fit & Fun Address: Chistoprudny Bul 12 Str 1 Mon-Fri: 07:00-23:00 Sat-Sun: 09:00-20:00 Gym, pool, saunas, Jacuzzis, aerobics, aqua-aerobics

Marriott Hotels Group Some hotels offer discounts to expat club members, e.g. BWC

Marco Polo Hotel Health Club Address: Spiridonovsky Per 9 Daily: 12:00-24:00 Tel: +7 495 202 0381

Atlantis fitness club Mezhdunarodnaya 1, Krasnopresnenskaya Nab 12 Tel: +7 495 937 0373

Address: 125a Bol. Cherkizovskaya Str. +7 495 161 8630

RollHoll Rollerdrome Address: 3 Kholodilny Ave. +7 495 954 0158

Address: 7 Electrolitny Proezd, building 2 +7 495 317 6101

Fantasy Park Address: 100 Lyublinskaya Str. +7 495 641 3451

Adrenalin Sports and Entertainment Center Address: 1 Chermyansky Proezd +7 495 221 0105

Dr.Loder — Fitness club in Moscow Address: 103031 Moscow, Strastnoy bulvar, 10/1 Metro: Strastnoy Bulvar E-mail: strastnoy@doctor-loder.ru Tel.: +7 495 775 7474, +7 495 775 7400

Municipal Chaika Sports Complex

Olympic Village - 80

25-meter and 50-meter open-air pools. Two paddling pools. Tennis courts Open Mon-Sat 07:00-22:30, Sun 08:30-19:30. Address: Turchaninov per., 1/3 Metro: Park Kultury Tel: +7 499 246 1344 Web: www.chayka-sport.ru

25-meter indoor pool and a paddling pool. Open daily 07:30-22:00. Address: Olimpiyskaya Derevnya, 2 Metro: Yugo-Zapadnaya Tel: +7 495 437 1698 Web: www.ckod80.ru

CSKA Sport Complex Well-established sport complex. 50-meter indoor pool with 8 tracks. Open daily: 07:00-23:00. Address: Leningradsky prosp., 39, str. 9 Metro: Aeroport Tel: +7 495 613 6907 Web: www.cska.ru

Fili 50-meter indoor pool with 8 tracks and two paddling pools. Open daily: 07:15-22:00. Address: Bolshaya Filyovskaya ul., 18a Metro: Bagrationovskaya Tel: +7 499 148 3046

Izmailovo 50-meter indoor pool with a paddling pool and a jumping pool. Open daily: 07:00-19:45. Address: Sirenevy bulv., 2 Metro: Cherkizovskaya Tel: +7 499 166 8945

Luzhniki Outdoor 50-meter and 25-meter pools, two 25-meter indoor pools and one 25-meter indoor children’s pool. Open Mon-Fri 07:00-22:00, Sat 07:00-18:00, Sun 07:00-15:00. Address: Luzhnetskaya nab., 24 Metro: Sportivnaya Tel: +7 495 785 9717 Web: www.luzhniki.ru

Medvedkovo 25-meter indoor pool with 6 tracks and 16-meter indoor pool. Open daily: 07:00-22:00. Address: Zapovednaya ul., 1 Metro: Sviblovo Tel: +7 495 4767500 Web: www.skmedvedkovo.boom.ru

Oktyabr 50-meter indoor pool with 8 tracks plus a paddling pool. Open daily: 07:00-23:00. Address: Zhivopisnaya ul., 21 Metro: Schukinskaya Tel: +7 499 728 5390 Web: www.bassein-oktyabr.ru

Olympic Water Sports Center Large swimming complex: Outdoor Pool “Neptun” (50-meter), House of Swimming (25-meter and 50-meter indoor pools) and Water Sports Palace (two paddling pools). Open daily: 06:45-22:00. Address: Ibragimova ul., 30 Metro: Semyonovskaya Tel: +7 495 369 4803

Olympiysky Two 40-meter indoor pools, 33-meter pool with springboards and 10-meter diving board. Open: 07:00-22:45. Address: Olympiisky prosp., 16 Metro: Prospekt Mira Tel: +7 495 786 3266 Web: www.olimpik.ru

Setun Health Complex 25-meter indoor pool with 6 tracks, teen’s 15-meter pool (6-16 years old) and a paddling pool (4-6 years old). Open daily: 08:00-21:00. Address: Tolbukhina ul., 10 Metro: Kuntsevskaya Tel: +7 495 444 9223 Web: www.setunsport.ru

Torpedo 25-meter pool with a paddling pool. Open: Mon-Sat 07:15-18:45, Sun - 08:00-16:15. Address: Avtozavodskaya ul., 21 Metro: Avtozavodskaya Tel: +7 495 675 0279

Ostankino 25-meter indoor pool with a paddling pool. Open daily: 08:00-22:00. Address: Bolshaya Marfinskaya ul., 7a Metro: Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Tel: +7 495 619 9912 Web: www.sportclub-ostankino.ru

Beaches “Serebryannyi Bor” Take the trolleybus from Polezhaevskaya or Shchukinskaya Metro Stations. “Strogino” Take the bus 357m from Strogino metro “Vodnoe Dynamo”

Community Services Essential Information Emergency Phone Numbers

Fire fighters 01 Police 02 Ambulance 03 Emergency Gas Service 04 Intercity phone calls 07 Information 09 Time (automatic clock) 100 Emergency rescue service 937-9911 _________________________________

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.

they may be able to help non-Russian speakers with the necessary paperwork. In the case of a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lost passport, both parents must appear with the child. Once you have a new passport, take it, along with your plane ticket (if you do not have a return ticket, you will have to buy one before you are issued a new visa) and the police form to the company that issued your visa support documents. If you have a copy of your lost visa, you should also provide it. If the agency refuses to help you (although it is their legal obligation to do so), then your consulate should tell you what to do. Important: For ease of processing we recommend that the police report states that your documents were lost, not stolen. _________________________________

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. _________________________________

Medical help

International SOS (The Moscow Clinic, 24 hour service to its clients) +7 495 937 6477

American Medical Centers

(24 hours service) +7 495 933 7700

European Medical Center

French, British and American experts) 7 495 510 54 14 International crisis Line Tel: 8 926 1133373 This is a free English-speaking telephone counseling service for expatriates people

What to do if you lose your passport Your first step should be to contact the nearest consular department for your country of origin. You will also have to go to a police station in order to obtain an official form confirming the loss or theft of your travel documents. We recommend, however, that you contact your embassy or consulate first, as

Taxi Services in Moscow

In Moscow any car is a taxi, and you will quickly notice how Muscovites get around by simply sticking out a hand and jumping into the first car that stops. If your Russian is up to the negotiations, you can try this for yourself, although you have to maintain an element of caution. Official taxis are more expensive, but still cheap by European standards unless, of course, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re being ripped-off. The market is increasingly competitive, and a number of well-established firms now run large fleets of cars with regulated fares. Official taxis come in a variety of guises, some yellow markings and a yellow roof-light. Taximeters are not used in all cars, often the sum is defined at the order. Pre-booked transfers are the most comfortable and convenient way of getting from the airport

Community Services List of Charities Below is an incomplete list of Charities operating in Moscow which foreigners are known to be involved with. If you wish to list a charity in future issues, please write to: editor@moscowexpatlife.ru Kidsave

Kidsave® is a non-profit organization working in Russia since 1999. Our programs create strong and lasting connections between children and adults, with the goal of giving orphans and young people graduating from institutions opportunities to develop the skills necessary for a successful future. Our Programmes: ‘Teen Mother’ programme helps vulnerable young mothers and pregnant girls learn how to care for their babies, experience the joy of motherhood, and stop the dreadful cycle of ‘inherited orphan hood’. ‘Strong Shoulders’ is a social adaptation and mentoring program that works with orphans and young adults. ‘Corporate Mentoring’ is a program designed to give older children in orphanages exposure to the workplace. You Can Help: In becoming a Kidsave Corporate Sponsor/Donor, you can give hope to orphan children and graduates and help create more favourable conditions for their future. For additional information, please contact Alexander Mzhelsky at: a.mzhelsky@kidsave.org or +7 (985) 970 9019

Downside Up

About 2,500 children with Down syndrome are born in Russia annually. In 85% of such births, parents give their children up to maternity homes, often following doctors’ advice. The abandoned children are sent to state institutions with no chance of ever leaving them. But there is an alternative! The children can live in their families and join early intervention and education programmes. They develop and learn under a guidance of special education professionals, and they can go on learning at pre-schools and schools. Children with Down syndrome, no matter how different, have a vast learning potential. Downside Up invites you to help make life better for people with Down syndrome Elena Lubovina Downside Up 14A Parkovaya Str., Moscow, 105043 Russia Tel. +7 499 367 1000, +7 499 165 5536 lubovina@downsideup.org ________________________

Kitezh

Kitezh is a network of therapeutic communities that give children from orphanages loving foster

Kittens to give away? 94

families. The aim is to create a developing environment for the education and care of orphans and children in crisis. The first Kitezh village is in Kaluga Region, 300 km south west of Moscow, and the second village, Kitezh-Orion, is located 60 km in the same direction. Contact: Kitezh Centre representative Katya Gurkina Tel: +7 916 975 1603 kitezhcentre@yandex.ru http://www.kitezh.org/en/ index.php

Musical Experimental Theatre ‘Open Art’

Open Art was created in September 2001 for people with learning disabilities. Open Art is based on a unique combination of different art forms and directions: • Music • Dramatic art • Choreography • Art Design • Poetry • Dramatic improvisation • Ethnic art The Musical Experimental Theatre Open Art is open for participants from Moscow and Moscow region. Open Art has developed

methods which are being used in rehabilitation centres and institutions for people with learning disabilities. Open Art also organizes courses and seminars for specialists in Moscow. Email: i nfo@metopenart.com http://metopenart.com/ ________________________

Diema’s Dream

Diema’s Dream was established in 1998 to provide financial, medical, and educational support for both physically and mentally disabled children in Russia. The larger goal is to support changes in society and legislation in order to create social and medical support programs, which would allow parents to raise their children at home rather than living in institutions. Who We Support • Charity House, a Russian non-governmental organization (NGO) in Moscow. Charity House is the first and only one of its kind in Russia. The Moscow City government considers their work with disabled orphans to be a model for orphanage reform. Unfortunately, lack of funding has made it impossible for the government to apply the

www.Mosco

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Community Services List of Charities Charity House standards of child care to other orphanages • Association of Down’s Syndrome (ADS) program in Moscow. Academician Bochvar Street, 10A Moscow Russia 123098 International: 011-7-495-942-4003 sa5557@yandex.ru sergey@ddfund.ru ________________________

Moscow Animals

Moscow Animals – devoted to the welfare of homeless animals. To adopt a dog or cat or if you would like to help local animal shelters by making a donation or volunteering your time, please visit the Moscow Animal Website or email. info@moscowanimals.org http://moscowanimals.org/ ________________________

United Way

The Fund supports charities offering programs aimed to meet the social needs of the following sections of society: • children at risk • disabled (children and adults) • refugees and homeless • elderly people Mission Fostering responsible philanthropy in Russia by supporting local charity programs aimed at solving the most critical problems. The Fund is a permanent source of financing for efficient charitable organizations. Charities receiving funding have to demonstrate financial transparency to the highest

possible degree. In turn, we guarantee to the donors full adherence by the foundation to Russian legislature and provide full financial and activity reports. 14 Nizhnyaya Str., Bldg. 1, office 5, Moscow, 125040 Tel./Fax: + 7 (495) 780-97-18 info@unitedway.ru ________________________

MPC Social Services

MPC Social Services is one of the longest serving charitable organizations in Moscow. It is a registered Russian charitable organization and an established 501(c)3 non-profit in the United States that addresses poverty and hunger, and provides medical care and education for Moscow’s poor, including women, children, families, pensioners, economic migrants, and refugees. To volunteer or donate, please visit our website at www.mpcss.org. www.mpcss.org ________________________

Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Brothers Big Sisters of Russia is a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters International, one of the most efficient mentoring programs for children. In Moscow BBBS helps children living in institutional care (orphanages) and disadvantaged children. A volunteer becomes a Big Brother or a Big Sister to a child, visits him or her once

a week for at least one year. Studies show that children who have a mentor have higher self-esteem, are more stable emotionally, have better motivation to study and show more initiative. Currently there are 162 matches in Moscow. http://nastavniki.org To become a volunteer leave an application http://nastavniki.org/ruapplication/ or call +7 (495) 500 40 42 Please keep in mind that you need a good knowledge of Russian to become a Big Brother or Big Sister because the children don’t speak English very well. ________________________

Nastenka

The charitable foundation helping children with cancer ‘Nastenka’ was founded in 2002. The main objective of the foundation is  to increase the quality of diagnostics and treatment of children with oncological diseases, as well as to revive the tradition of charity in Russia. The foundation works in the Scientific Research Institute for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of the largest Russian cancer center. For 11 years, the foundation has helped thousands of sick children and purchased large number of expensive modern medical equipment for a hospital: two ventilators, an x-ray machine, a dialysis machine, blood separator and much more.

Organising an event? Advertise for free at

Together with ‘Nastenka’ Charitable Foundation You can help Children with Cancer! +7 (495) 980-53-77, +7 (495) 585-41-01 www.nastenka.ru You can contact us by phone +7 (495) 980-53-77, +7 (495) 585-41-01, www.nastenka. ru Additional information can be obtained by calling +7 (495) 980-53-77,  +7 (495) 585-41-01,  www.nastenka.ru ________________________

Overcoming

This charity, which has been helping children for 20 years, uses horses as part of its therapy. Artem Ivanov, who is in charge of physiotherapy at the centre, and semiparalyzed himself from the waist down, explains: “To control the movements of a horse as it moves means that the rider has to be able to control all the main muscle groups in his [the rider’s] legs, as well as his hands. This creates a training base for riders with any kind of movement problems. A horse’s temperature is two degrees warmer than ours, and because of this, the rider’s muscles warm up and relax. All this has a tremendously positive effect on the rider’s coordination and balance. To help, contact Hugh Mc Earney, Secretary of the Irish Business Club via http:/www. moscowirishclub.ru/

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Community Services Essential Information to your final destination, and they don’t have to be expensive. More and more companies are offering discount transfer services in Moscow. So, if you don’t want the hassle of dealing with crowded public transport after a long flight, book a car and driver to meet you at the airport and take you directly to your hotel. Your hotel will be able to give you the numbers of Englishspeaking taxi companies. Taxi companies with operators who understand English: Angel-Taxi.com feedback@taxi-angel.com + 7 (495) 956 0 800 + 79-ANGEL-TAXI Bee Car +7 495 979 4810 www.bee-car.ru Moscow Taxi + 7 499 995 0654 www.taxi-in-moscow.com Taxi 956 +7 495 956 8956 www.taxi956.ru Gorodskoe Taxi +7 495 500 0500 www.500-0-500.ru Eurasia Taxi +7 495 647 1111 www.eurasiataxi.ru VIP Taxi Moscow +7 495 991 6173 www.taxi749.ru NewMoscowTaxi +7 495 780 6780 www.newmoscowtaxi.ru Formula Taxi +7 495 777 5777 www.formula-taxi.ru Slujba +7 495 918 0101 www.taxi918.ru _________________________________

Getting to Moscow’s Airports Moscow is served by three major airports: Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. You can get a taxi (fares range between 1200 and 2300 roubles, and generally, the service is good. The operators speak English, but the drivers

may not. A taxi back can also be booked, and this saves a lot of hassle and possible agro when dealing with the taxi drivers at arrivals. All three airports are now served by aeroexpress shuttle trains. The service is good but not 24 hours a day. The three airports are: Sheremetyevo Airport http://www.svo.aero/en/ +7 495 578 6565 + 8 800 100 6565 +7 495 956 4666 for flight information Sheremetyevo has become much more accessible thanks to the opening of the Aeroexpress from Byelorusskaya Station. The Aeroexpress costs 320 roubles and they leave every half an from 5:30 to 00:30. Long term parking costs 250 roubles a day according to the airport web site. If you are getting a taxi or driving your own car there during the day it is advisable to leave a minimum of two hours to get there from the centre.

Domodedovo Airport

http://www.domodedovo.ru +7 495 720 6666 for flight information Getting there: The Aeroexpress train departs from the left hand side of Paveltskaya station. Tickets which come as flimsy paper receipts with bar codes in them. Don’t lose your ticket as you need it to get out of the station at the airport. Tickets cost from 320 roubles. The journey takes 40-50 minutes, and they run reliably and regularly, every half an hour from 6am to midnight. On the way home, this is a convenient way to beat the taxi mobs, however there is only the taxi if you arrive during the night. Leaving your car in the long-stay car park costs 600-700 roubles a day depending on the season, although information on the airport’s site is not clear on this score.

Vnukova Airport

http://www.vnukovo.ru/eng/ 8 (495) 937-55-55 Getting there: 1. By airport bus from Yugo Zapadnaya Metro. You need bus 611, 611с or 611ф, (611f ) (express) bus. You need to listen carefully to the prerecorded stop announcements. Your stop is Airport Vnukovo. Busses run every 10 minutes or so, so to be sure you get there on time and the journey to the airport takes about 30 minutes. You can also get a ‘marshrutka’, (mini-van taxi service) route 45 which will take you to the airport faster. Fare is 100 roubles plus 10 roubles for each piece of extra luggage. 2. From Metro Oktyabrskaya (the Circle Line) (subway) Route 705m ‘marshrutka’ runs between Metro Oktyabrskaya (Circle Line) and the Vnukovo airport. They take 35-40 minutes, although Moscow traffic is Moscow traffic, so at peak time leave at least an hour. Fare is 130 roubles plus another RUB 10 for every extra item of baggage. 3. By Aeroexpress Train From Metro Kievskaya (Metro) (exit to Kievsky Train Station). Once out on the Train Station forecourt, go round the corner of the Station terminal building and a few yards down on your left-hand side you will see the entrance portico of the Vnukovo Aeroexpress Terminal. Tickets cost 320 roubles for standard fare, and can be bought on line, if you read Russian. The journey takes 40 minutes.

Community Services Essential Information Paying for your mobile telephone at a terminal There are many different makes and models of pay machines which handle mobile phone payments in use in Moscow, however most of them work in the same way.

services you want. The Russian words: ‘ОПЛАТА УСЛУГ’ (payment for services) are what you want.

Step 2.

Step 1.

Identify the service you need: The first ‘home’ screen will ask you what kind of

operating the terminal has signed up for. Fortunately, to keep things simple, the logos for the most popular mobile telephone companies are displayed on the top row.

Step 3.

Identify the service you want: You will be presented by an array of services which indicate the various services which the company

Having identified your mobile telephone ‘operator’ by its logo, you will then be asked to key in your telephone number.

Having done this, you hit the button which says ‘ВПЕРЕД’ (NEXT). On most terminals this is coloured orange, but make sure you don’t inadvertently press any other buttons which may download various entertainment programmes onto your phone.

Step 4.

Pay. You insert notes into the machine and the amount you have paid comes up on screen minus commission. You then hit the button: ОПЛАТИТЬ (PAY).

That’s it!

Community Services What do the numbers on the red number plates mean? They are Russian Diplomatic codes signifying countries. All vehicles registered with foreign embassies have to use them. 001 - Great Britain 002 - Germany 003 - Canada 004 - USA 005 - Japan 006 - Spain 007 - France 008 - Belgium 009 - Greece 010 - Denmark 011 - Italy 012 - Luxembourg 013 - Netherlands 014 - Norway 015 - Turkey 016 - Australia 017 - Austria 018 - Algeria 019 - Egypt 020 - Rwanda* 021 - Argentina 022 - Afghanistan 023 - Myanmar (the former Burma) 024 - Bolivia 025 - Brazil 026 - Burundi 027 - Ghana 028 - Bangladesh 029 - Guinea 030 - Zambia 031 - Peru 032 - India 033 - Indonesia 034 - Jordan 035 - Iraq 036 - Iran 037 - Ireland 038 - Iceland 039 - Cambodia (the former Kampuchea) 040 - Kenya 041 - Cyprus 042 - Congo 043 - Costa Rica 044 - Kuwait 045 - Laos 047 - Lebanon

048 - Libya 049 - Mali 050 - Morocco 051 - Mexico 052 - Nepal 053 - Nigeria 054 - Venezuela 055 - New Zealand 056 - Pakistan 057 - Burkina Faso* 058 - Senegal* 059 - formerly Syria. Now code 133 is used. 060 - Somalia 061 - Sudan 062 - Sierra Leone 063 - Thailand 064 - Tanzania 065 - Tunisia 066 - Uganda 067 - Uruguay 068 - Philippines 069 - Finland 070 - Sri Lanka 071 - Chad 072 - Switzerland 073 - Sweden 074 - Ecuador 075 - Ethiopia 076 - Angola 077 - Democratic Republic of Congo (the former Republic Zaire) 078 - Colombia 079 - Cameroon 080 - Guinea-Bissau 081 - Portugal 082 - Bulgaria 083 - Hungary 084 - Vietnam 086 - Poland 087 - Korean People’s Democratic Republic (North Korea) 088 - Cuba 089 - Mongolia 090 - China 091 - Romania

092 - formerly Czechoslovakia (nowadays Czech Republic (148) and Slovakia (149)) 093 - Serbia 094 - Benin 095 - Gabon 096 - Guyana* 097 - Mauritania 098 - Madagascar* 099 - Malaysia 100 - Niger* 101 - Singapore 102 - Togo* 103 - Central African Republic (code 106 used earlier) 104 - Jamaica* 105 - Yemen 106 - formerly Central African Republic. Now code 103 is used. 107 - Palestine 108 - Nicaragua 109 - Mozambique 110 - Equatorial Guinea 111 - Sovereign Military Order of Malta (earlier code 111 belonged to Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon)) 112 - Malta 113 - Cape Verde 115 - Zimbabwe 116 - United Arab Emirates 117 - Côte d’Ivoire* 118 - Namibia 119 - formerly Republic of South Africa. Now code 137 is used. 120 - Oman 121 - Qatar 122 - formerly Arab League. Now code 503 is used 123 - formerly Liechtenstein 124 - South Korea 125 - Chile 126 - Panama (earlier code 126 belonged to UNESCO; see code 512)

127 - Israel 128 - FYR Macedonia (earlier code 128 belonged to EU) 129 - Albania 130 - formerly international organizations 131 - Holy See (Vatican) 132 - Lithuania 133 - Syria (code 059 used earlier) 134 - Estonia 135 - Latvia 136 - Bahrain 137 - Republic of South Africa (code 119 used earlier) 138 - Armenia 139 - formerly Georgia. Now code 158 is used. 140 - Saudi Arabia 141 - Slovenia 142 - Uzbekistan 143 - Kyrgyzstan 144 - Croatia 145 - Azerbaijan 146 - Ukraine 147 - Moldova 148 - Czech Republic 149 - Slovakia 150 - Belarus 151 - Tajikistan 152 - Turkmenistan 153 - Kazakhstan 154 - Guatemala 155 - Bosnia and Herzegovina 156 - Eritrea 157 - Paraguay* 158 - Georgia (code 139 used earlier) 159 - Brunei-Darussalam 160 - Gambia 161 - Vietnam 162 - Mauritius 163 - Dominican Republic 164 - Montenegro 165 - South Ossetia 166 - Abkhazia 167 - Djibouti