JUNE 2009 www.passportmagazine.ru Swine Flu: Should We Be Worried?

The Low-Down on Fitness Clubs The Nanai People of the River The Moscow Hash House Harriers Cartoonist Boris Efi mov The

Contents 4 What’s On in Moscow 7 June Holidays 8 Previews Highly selective previews of June’s performances and exhibitions 8 11 Theater A review of House at the Moscow School of Mod- ern Drama Theater Interview with Galina Volchek 14 Community The world of expat fi eld hockey and a potted history of the Storming Cloggs Moscow Hash House Harriers 18 Big Brothers Big Sisters charity 20 Profi le Soviet cartoonist Boris Efi mov 24 Medicine Swine fl u: how real is the threat? 26 Art History Levina-Rozengolts 24 28 Architecture The Moscow metro 30 Time Off A trip down the Moscow River 32 City Beat Fitness clubs in Moscow 34 Travel 30 The Nanai People of the Amur River 38 Book Review 40 Restaurant Review Alioli Night Flight 44 Wine Tasting

40 48 Out & About 50 How To How to fi nd a fl at if you aren’t a millionaire Get a motorbike 52 Columns Real estate, Financial, Employment 55 Viewpoint Michael Romanov’s diary 51

June 2009 1 Letter from the Publisher

To help you relax, we take you Thierry Spinnelli on a trip down the Moscow river, We post this article about Bordeaux on the heels of very on a tour of the Moscow metro, sad news for the Moscow expat and wine community. By now a quick spin up the Amur to visit most may have heard of the tragic end of the lives of Thierry the Nanai people, introduce you and Olga Spinelli and their two-year-old daughter Elisa. Thi- to famous Soviet cartoonist Boris erry was formerly marketing manager for Chateau Le Grand Efi mov, give you the low-down Vostok in Krasnodar region from its founding and had worked on fi tness clubs, review two in the Moscow wine trade as a marketer since 1999. For the books that you might actually past three years a French wine advocate, Olga headed the read. We massage your crisis- wine club at Simple Wines. I did not know his family but was worn brows with an important acquainted with Thierry since his time at Chateau Le Grand Out & About communication Vostok. He was a kind, courteous and quiet person. He made John Ortega concerning a marauding Scot a signifi cant and fi ne impact on the wine industry, and will Owner and Publisher who cajoled unsuspecting Rus- be remembered well by all who had the opportunity to work sians – and a few willing expats with him. He deserves more than a few well-earned toasts. – to try out a dram or two of Bruichladdich whisky. The editor, Reserve a few drops for him and his family the next time you carefully disguised as a Sassenach Kulak, managed to comman- open a bottle. deer a wee bit more. In a major scoop, Passport has secured the rights to the Irish Trade Delegation diary of Michael Romanov, pretender to the Russian throne. A reception was held in the Irish Embassy on May 20 to mark He has recently emigrated from London to Moscow in order the arrival in of a 30-strong trade mission from Ireland. to campaign for election as Tsar Michael II. The fi rst edition of The team was led by Irish Trade Minister, Minister Billy Kelle- this exclusive material is printed in this issue. her, and the reception was hosted by Justin Harman, Ireland’s Passport Magazine has been through many changes since long-serving ambassador in Russia. The trade mission was or- the fi rst issue was published way back in rosy-spectacled ganized by Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency 2003. Our editorial mission, even in times of crisis, remains promoting Irish industry abroad. Co-hosting the event was the same: to provide news, articles and information useful the Association of European Businesses, which was repre- and entertaining for the community of English-speaking sented by Dr Frank Schauff , the Chief Executive Offi cer. The expats living in Russia. usual generous Irish hospitality was enjoyed by a large crowd If you are an organizer of such events and wish to be of guests. Both Jameson’s whiskey and pints of “porter” were included in the calendar of events, or reviewed specially, on off er. There is a feeling that “Ireland is open for business”, please write to me: [email protected] as Billy Kelleher said in his address to the gathering. Still on the community front, in this issue we cover the Moscow Hash Harriers runners, who (despite their name), have nothing to do with drugs, and everything to do with living life to the full. We print an article on Big Brothers Big Announcement: Sisters, a charity which is being supported by a number of Summer Club at EIS: 6-17 July foreign companies, yet which members of the expat com- Education and fun for 3-15s; all welcome. Languages, arts , munity know surprisingly little about. Without wishing to music, sport & games appear alarmist, we publish an article in this issue on the Contact: English International School 301 2104 danger; perceived or real, of swine fl u for those of us living in [email protected] Russia, and assess the risk. www.englishedmoscow.com

Enjoy!

Owner and Publisher Designer Contributors John Ortega, +7 (985) 784-2834 Julia Nozdracheva Charles Borden, Ross Hunter, Marina Lukanina, Elena [email protected] [email protected] Rubinova, Olga Slobodkina-von Brømmsen, Nick Rees, Editor Webmaster Oleg Chernoukh, Piers Gladstone, Luc Jones, Maria John Harrison Alexey Timokhin Savelieva, Michael Bartley, Matthew Partridge, Alina [email protected] [email protected] Ganenko, Adrian Carnegie, Maria Luneva, Olga Mikhailova, Graham Miller, Kevin McNeer, Anastasia Kachevskaya, Ian Deputy Editor Accounting and Legal Services Mitchell, Philip Baillie Elena Krivovyaz Vista Foreign Business Support [email protected] Trubnaya St. 25/1, Moscow +7 (495) 933-7822 Arts Editor Alevtina Kalinina [email protected]

Editorial Address: Published by OOO Passport Magazine. All rights reserved. Passport occasionally uses material we believe has been 42 Volgogradsky Prospekt, Bldg. 23 This publication is registered by the Press Ministry No. placed in the public domain. Sometimes it is not possible Office 013, 1st floor 77-18639. 08.10.04 to identify and contact the copyright owner. If you claim 109316 Moscow, Russia Printed by Mozhaysky Poligrafichesky Kombinat ownership of something we have published, we will be 93 Ulitsa Mira , 143200 Mozhaysk, Russia pleased to make a proper acknowledgment. Tel. +7 (495) 640 0508 Fax +7 (495) 620-0888 www.passportmagazine.ru

2 June 2009

What’s On in Moscow

Monday, 1st regions practicing International Women’s Club – Kalmykia, Buryatia, Tuva, Mongolia Djivan Gasparyan (Duduk) and Tibet. This unique festival aims to of Moscow Legendary duduk virtuoso Djivan present music that is based on Bud- General Meeting Gasparyan with his new program. In dhist ideas of compassion and kind- GlavUpDk Cultural Center, 10:00 Armenian Duduk means “a soul of heartedness. an apricot tree”. In 2002, Gasparyan MMDM, Svetlanov Hall, 19:00 received the World Music Expo award Friday, 5th for distinguished service to musical Anglomania (art festival) art and later was awarded a Golden Wednesday, 3rd Globe for the Gladiator soundtrack. The The British Embassy and Seasons ethnic sound of the Armenian Duduk Foreign Employees in Your magazine is holding a festival of Eng- also contributed to compositions by Company (business-conference) lish culture, art and music. Organizers promise that guests can visit Britain for such famous musicians as Peter Gabriel, The program of this RBCC-organized just 300 rubles. The only thing to do is Lionel Richie, Brian May, Michael Brook, conference includes: Labor legislation to come to the Hermitage Garden. A Brian Eno and Boris Grebenshchikov. changes review; Recruitment and hir- two-story red bus, English sausages, ing trends; Attracting foreign employ- MMDM Svetlanov Hall, 19:00 Oxford lectures, porcelain, Shakespeare ees; Is there a need for foreign staff ?; and much more… Labor relations with expatriate employ- th th ees: what should be considered?; Hir- Hermitage Garden, 19:00, also 6 and 7 , ing/fi ring foreign employees; Employ- details at www.seasons.com.ru ers’ most frequent violations in relation to foreign individuals. The conference is in Russian, translation available. Price: 12,000 rubles (VAT is not included). Registration ends: 02.06.2009, 16:00. To receive additional information regard- ing registration, please contact Viktoria Klimova, 232-4774, 232-1769. Marriott Royal Aurora, 10:00

Masterpieces of the Godskitchen: Marcus Shulz, Lara Fabian Old Masters (classical music) Sander Van Doorn, Mehno Soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic. Lara was born in 1970 in the Belgian de Jong Roman Catholic Cathedral of Immaculate town of Etterbeek. Her Flemish father Godskitchen is an international club Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 19:30 and Sicilian mother, inspired by the brand which is associated with dance theme song of the fi lm Doctor Zhivago, music and is responsible for organiz- named her Lara. Right from the age of Thursday, 4th ing numerous events worldwide. The fi ve, Lara knew she wanted to sing. Her company runs a club night of the same songs Croire and Je sais sold 500,000 Igor Butman Big Band, name at their own nightclub AIR, in and 300,000 copies respectively. Vadim Eilenkrieg Quintet (jazz) Birmingham and also has an in-house nd Operetta Theater, 19:00, also 2 Butman will present two fi rst releases music label. The Godskitchen event in issued on his new label: Igor Butman Moscow features Markus Schulz (Ger- many), Sander van Doorn (Netherlands) nd Big Band’s new record Moscow @ 3 Tuesday, 2 am featuring music of the prominent and Menno de Jong (Netherlands). Mötley Crüe (rock concert) composer Nikolay Levinovsky, and the Pavilion Production, 32, Donskaya Ul., A Grammy Award-nominated American album of Big Band’s soloist, trumpet 23:00 hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, player Vadim Eilenkrieg The Shadow Moscow Mellow Divas California in 1981. Mötley Crüe has sold Of Your Smile, recorded as a modern more than 50 million album copies jazz joint project with members of the The British Women’s Club of Moscow worldwide. As one of the fi rst and most legendary Brecker Brothers. proudly presents Moscow Mellow Divas infl uential heavy metal bands of the MMDM, Svetlanov Hall, 19:30 featuring folk songs, spirituals, jazz, op- 1980s, Mötley Crüe had a series of hit eretta and show songs. Tickets can be albums, the biggest and most notewor- purchased at Starbucks on Stary Arbat thy being 1989’s Dr. Feelgood. every Tuesday from 10am to 12 noon when BWC members meet informally B1 Maximum, 21:00 or contact Christina, tel: 755-3578, email: [email protected]. Proceeds will be donated to: Preodelenie, Nastenka, ARC Ocean of Compassion Open Arts Theatre. A contribution will (Tibetan-Buddhist music also be made to the St. Andrew’s Church festival) Restoration Fund in thanks for host- ing the event. Admission: Adults – 300 Ocean of Compassion is a grandiose rubles, children – 150 rubles. ethnic rock-festival with participants th mostly being famous performers St. Andrew’s Church, 19:00, also 6 of ethnic music from countries and (at the British Embassy)

4 June 2009 What’s On in Moscow

Saturday, 6th British Women’s Club 29, 2009, the group’s highest placing Usadba Jazz presents: since their 1996 album Bilingual. Luzhniki Sports Complex, 19:00 Every year more than 30,000 guests Members Coff ee Morning come to the Arkhangelskoye Estate British Embassy, 10:00 to visit Russia’s biggest open-air jazz Pumajaw (concert) festival, Usadba Jazz. The performances The ethereal Scottish outfi t Pumajaw take place on 5 diff erent stages and last th Wednesday, 10 are back with their retrospective album from 2 to 3 days. Every year Usadba Jazz Dream Theater (rock) Favorites. This follows hard on the welcomes more than fi fty bands from tracks of last year’s Curiosity Box album, Russia and abroad. This year Usadba Dream Theater is known for its high- and is no less weird and wonderful features Andrei Kondakov and Brazil All energy performances. While they have than the previous four records. Stars (Russia-USA), Alexei Aigi and 4’33” released several live albums – Live at (Russia), Branford Marsalis Quartet (USA), the Marquee, recorded at the London Central House Of Artists, 19:00 Nils Landgren and Funk Unit (Sweden), club; Live in Japan, recorded during the Music in Progress tour in 1993; and a Danilo Rea Trio (Italy), Danilo Rea Trio th (Italy) and many others. triple CD and DVD, Live Scenes from New Wednesday, 17 York – they remain one of heavy metal’s The Producers (musical) Arkhangelskoye Estate, fi nd details at: most bootlegged bands. www.arkhangelskoe.ru/eng A musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Luzhniki Sports Complex, 19:00 Thomas Meehan from Brooks’ 1968 fi lm of the same name, with lyrics by Brooks Thursday, 11th and music by Brooks and Glen Kelly. Et Cetera Theater, 19:00, also 18th, 19th and Nino Katamadze and Insight 20th (jazz) Nino is a Georgian female jazz singer who has received many diff erent awards during her career: Best Singer of the Year (Ovation Prize, Russia, 2002), Best Composer and Performer (Rus- sia, 2002), Best Original Music (Russia, 2002), Show Business Person of the Year (People of the Year Prize, Russia, 2003), Monday, 8th Best Female Singer of the Year (Mega Prize, Russia, 2003), For Exceptional Andrea Mantegna: Contributions to the Development of Hole Family (exhibition) Georgian Music and many others. One-painting exhibition. Andrea B1 Maximum, 19:00 Mantegna (1431-1506) was one of the foremost north Italian painters of the 15th century. A master of perspective Nicolas Bearde (jazz) and foreshortening, he made impor- A supremely gifted singer and enter- tant contributions to the compositional tainer who is fl uent in soul, jazz and th techniques of Renaissance painting. R&B, Nicolas Bearde has been com- Thursday, 18 Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, until July, 19th pared to vocal icons like Lou Rawls, AmCham Healthcare Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Committee Meeting Jon Lucien. Nicolas has compiled an im- Illustration Festival, Free Wi-Fi pressive list of credits to his name that Four working groups will be formed during the meeting: Free Trade Working The Moscow Museum of Modern Art includes fi lm roles in True Crime with Clint Eastwood, Final Analysis with Rich- Group; Legislative Working Group; Cus- with Andrei Bartenev presents the toms Working Group; GR Working Group. third festival of young artists exploring ard Gere and Kim Basinger, roles on the Contact Svetlana Kubrakova at AmCham the illustration genre, Free Wi-Fi. The television series Nash Bridges and Monk. either by e-mail, [email protected] or by fax, festival is comprised of more than 1000 Besides maintaining this busy sideline 961-2142 new illustrations and 50 video works. as an actor and voice-over artist, he The festival program consists of 3 parts: continues to write music and perform concerts at clubs and Jazz festivals collection of illustrations, innovative Aziza Miller (jazz) video projects, and personal projects around the country. refl ecting one or another modern Soyuz Compozitorov Club, 20:30, also 12th “Aziza has mined the depths of black cultural trend. music to come up with a sound that Pet Shop Boys (pop) is sophisticated, melodic and funky as Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery, until June, 28th Pet Shop Boys’ cheeky, smart, and hell”…. so says Kenny Barron, jazz pianist utterly danceable music established and composer. Not surprising, there’s a Tuesday, 9th them among the most commercially richness and warmth to her vocals that and critically successful groups of their is enveloping. Every song, whether it’s Shumann, Brahms, era. On March 23, 2009, the album Yes a vocal or instrumental, a jazz piece or Beethoven, Mendelssohn- was released. Yes is this electronic dance sophisticated rap poetry, is articulated band’s tenth studio album and reached with impeccable style and ease. Bartholdi (classical music) No.4 in the UK album charts on March th MMDM Chamber Hall, 19:00 Soyuz Kompozitorov Club, 20:30, also 19

June 2009 5 What’s On in Moscow

Friday, 26th Moderat (Germany) and many others Monday, 29th MIGS Music will make clubbers dance until 6am. Faith No More 35 mm, Pokrovka, 47, 13:00 & Arts Festival Faith No More is an American ex- A brand new type of entertainment perimental rock band which formed that includes a day and night program. in San Francisco, California. Faith No Daytime is dedicated to all kinds of More combines elements of heavy creative activities: sound, design, metal, funk, progressive rock, hip hop, photography and video installations. hardcore punk and jazz among many Night is a party time and famous others, and have been hailed as an headliners such as Moon Unit, one of infl uential rock band. the most successful electronic bands, B1 Maximum, 21:00

VENUES

Bolshoi Theater Luzhniki Sports Complex Stanislavsky and 1 Teatralnaya Ploshchad 24 Luzhnetskaya Naberezhnaya Nemirovitch-Danchenko (495) 250-7317 (495) 785-9717 M. Teatralnaya M. Sportivnaya Musical Theater www.bolshoi.ru Luzhniki.ru 17 Bolshaya Dmitrovka (495) 629-8388 B1 Maximum Club Mir Concert Hall M. Tverskaya 11 Ul. Ordzhonikidze 11 Tsvetnoi Bulvar, Bldg. 2 www.stanislavskymusic.ru (495) 648-6777 (495) 624-9647 M. Leninsky Prospekt M. Tsvetnoi Bulvar State Kremlin Palace www.b1club.ru www.mir-hall.ru 1 Ul. Vozdvizhenka (495) 628-5232 M. Biblioteka im. Lenina Central House Of Artists Moscow www. gkd.ru 10 Krymsky Val Chaikovsky (495) 238-1955 Taganka Theater M. Park Kultury Conservatory Grand Hall 76/21 Ul. Zemlyanoi Val www.cha.ru 11 Ul. Bolshaya Nikitskaya (495) 915-1217 CiCterna Hall (495) 629-8183 M. Taganskaya www.mosconsv.ru www.taganka.theatre.ru 26/1 Prospect Mira (The Ring Line) 771-6937 Tchaikovsky Concert Hall www.cicterna-hall.ru MMDM 52 Kosmadianskaya Naberezhnaya, Bldg. 2 4/31 Triumfalnaya Ploshchad (495) 730-4350 (495) 232-5353 Chekhov Library/Cultural M. Paveletskaya M. Mayakovakaya Center www.mmdm.ru 6 Strastnoi Bulvar Tochka Club M. Chekhovskaya Moscow Museum 6 Leninsky Prospekt, Bldg. 7 www.elemoscow.net M. Oktyabrskaya (The Ring Line) of Modern Arts www.clubtochka.ru Fine Art Gallery Various venues 3/10 Ul. Bolshaya Sadovaya (495) 694-6660 Winzavod (495) 251-7649 www.mmoma.ru 1/6 The Fourth Syromyatnichesky Pereulok M. Mayakovskaya M. Kurskaya (The Ring Line) New Opera winzavod.ru 3 Karetny Ryad, Hermitage Garden Helikon Opera on the Arbat (495) 694-0868 World Trade Center 11 Novy Arbat, Bldg. 2 M. Chekhovskaya 12 Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya (495) 290-0971 www.novayaopera.ru (495) 258-1212 M. Arbatskaya www.wtcmoscow.ru www.helikon.ru Olimpiisky Sports 16 Tonn Ikra Club Complex 6 Presnensky Val, Bldg. 7 8 Kazakova Ulitsa 16 Olimpiisky Prospekt (495) 253-5300 (495) 778-5651 (495) 688-3777 M. Ulitsa 1905 Goda M. Kurskaya M. Prospekt Mira www.16tons.ru www.ikraclub.ru www.olimpik.ru

6 June 2009 Holidays June Holidays text by Elena Rubinova Saturday, June 6th Friday, June 12th, Pushkinsky Day of Russia Russia Day Alexander Pushkin’s place This is Russia’s newest holiday that until very recently was at the center of the Russian called and celebrated as Independence Day. For most people literary canon is unassail- in Russia the holiday is confusing because more than a de- able. He is not only the cade after the events of the early 1990s, ideological roots of nation’s most revered the holiday split society into the supporters and opponents bard but also the inven- of Russia’s fi rst president, Boris Yeltsin. tor of the modern Rus- On June 12, 1990 the First Congress of People’s Deputies sian language. This is the of the Russian Federation adopted the Declaration of Sover- man who bridged the eignty of the Russian Federation thus offi cially burying the gap between the stylized . Since 1994, June 12 has been proclaimed Rus- literary Russian of the past sia’s national holiday. The creation of the post of the President and the vernacular. of the Russian Federation, the adoption of a new Constitution For all these reasons, refl ecting the new political reality, along with the national fl ag Pushkin’s birthday has been a and anthem of the Russian Federation, were major landmarks nationwide holiday since Soviet in the consolidation of Russian statehood. In 1998 President times when it was marked as a na- Yeltsin suggested that the holiday should be renamed Rus- tional day of poetry with poetry readings, recitals, discussion sia Day to avoid discussions about the collapse of the Soviet groups and lectures. Union and to emphasize a new national agenda. Offi cially the One can scarcely fi nd a man or woman in Russia who can- name Russia Day was approved in 2002. not at least manage a line or two of Pushkin’s poetry as if ap- Opinions diff er whether the time has come yet for a nation- proving the belief that a poet in Russia is more than a poet. It al holiday like this. Many still believe that national holidays is not unusual to see a child barely four feet tall take the stage should be born inside society before authorities offi cially in- and recite from Pushkin by heart for 20 minutes or so. Several stitutionalize them. An opinion poll held in 2008 in 46 regions years ago an opinion poll held across Russia asked people of the country showed that 58% of still do not at- which Russian they thought had made the biggest contribu- tribute great political signifi cance to this date, but take it as tion to world history. Alexander Pushkin, came second, in be- an extra chance to enjoy an offi cial day off usually spent in tween Peter the Great and Lenin. In 1998 the decree of Presi- the countryside. The early summer is a perfect time for such dent Yeltsin turned this day into Pushkinsky Day of Russia. a holiday in Russia.

Sunday, June 7th Monday, June 22nd Troitsa (the Trinity) The Day of Memory The Holiday of the Holy and Grief Trinity is one of the few feasts Unlike Victory Day on that is celebrated as a doc- May 9, which is a trium- trine instead of an event. The phant event dedicated day is devoted to the con- to winning the Great templation of the Christian Patriotic War, June 22 doctrine of the Trinity that is viewed as a sad, but signifi cant turning point in the county’s sees God as an indivisible history. It is a memorial day when the country commemorates unity, but also as revealed in the beginning of war with Nazi Germany that broke out on June three distinct roles, Father, 22, 1941. On June 8, 1996 the Russian president signed a decree Son and Holy Spirit. The ac- establishing the date as the Day of Memory for war victims. The tual Descent of the Holy Spirit also has symbolic meaning: the day is often observed with candle lighting ceremonies and re- Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on the fi ftieth day burials of soldiers in collective graves by volunteer groups that after Easter and they, never having studied, began to speak continue their search for the bodies of hundreds of thousands of in various foreign languages. Through unifi cation, people be- Soviet soldiers that have never been found. came united in God. Trinity Sunday is the fi rst Sunday after In 2006, the Russian Ministry of Defense published lists of Pentecost. missing soldiers on a memorial website. This gave another Despite the fact that for decades of communism, the cel- impulse to the work of volunteer battlefi eld detectives. More ebration of most holidays and religious rituals was forbidden, than 400 search groups currently work across Russia, espe- the custom of decorating churches and houses with trees, cially in the regions that were famous for battlegrounds of plants and fl owers, and most often in Russia with young birch the Great Patriotic War. Teaming up with professional histo- branches has survived. rians and archivists and using modern metal detectors, these According to the Orthodox calendar, early summer around volunteer groups have achieved really amazing results: since Trinity Sunday is believed to be a suitable time for weddings. 1990 over 120,000 soldiers have been reburied.

June 2009 7 Previews Look At Me. Lorenzo Alexander Deyneka. Graph- Agius in Moscow ics from the Kursk State Pic- ture Gallery This current show at the Tretyakov Gallery is a jubilee exhibition dedicated to the Soviet symbolic painter – Al- exander Deyneka (1899 –1969). A witness to the social rev- olution in Russia, the painter rendered its vision in pictures and propaganda posters. After directing a revolutionary arts studio in Kursk, Deyneka was sent to Moscow at the beginning of the 1920s to study at the polygraphic depart- ment of the Higher Art and Technical Studios in Moscow where his teachers were Vladimir Favorsky and Ignatiy Nivinsky. Being in a circle of like-minded young people, Deyneka helped to create this new Soviet art. In 1925 he became one of the founders of OST – Society of Easel Art- Tretyakov Gallery ists and the style that would be predominant in this coun- Krymsky Val, 10 try for decades. The exposition displays 150 works divided May 26 – September between diff erent periods of his artistic career from the 10:00–18:00 1920s to the 1960s, including sketches made during World Open daily except War II, paintings from Sevastopol, France and Italy and de- Mondays Lorenzo Agius is often referred to as signs for his famous metro mosaics. a “Knight of photography.” And that is no mean achievement. He is a Maltese photographer who studied arts in Eng- Four Brands land. Agius started working at 18 years of and One Funeral age as a photographer’s assistant, then To the great joy of antiglobalists and the deep grief a freelancer and soon moved to his own of shopaholics, Petr Axenov opens his exhibition en- projects for Vogue, Vanity Fair and other titled DeadBrand at a newly restored and hospitable glamour magazines. Agius made his edifi ce of the Museum of Modern Art in Gogolevsky mark with a series of photographs taken Boulevard. Axenov is a master of art-provocation; a on the sets of the movie Trainspotting. photographer, painter, producer and designer – all Inspired by Richard Avedon’s series of in one. His background is like a mosaic, with aspects photographs, In the American West, Agius of his theological education at the State Svyato-Tik- became the author of the Trainspotting honovsky Orthodox University in Moscow and his posters with Ewan McGregor that hung life photographing fashion shows. Coming from the in students’ rooms all over England in family of a photographer and icon-painter, knowing the 1990s. Since then he has gradu- the history of costume well, he felt at ease working ally become one of the top celebrity as a photographer with Russian designers after com- photographers in the United Kingdom. pleting his studies. He organized social events and He never uses the same metaphor in shoots for leading Russian magazines. His latest pre- portraits, putting accents on almost in- Museum of Modern Art sentation touches on the problem of the integration visible details. “I am lucky,” Agius says, Gololevsky Bulvar, 10 of fashion labels into the arts, their role in the percep- “to work with very famous people. In a May 22 – June 21 tion of beauty as such. But this is a sign of bitter irony world when my characters are studied 12:00–20:00 except and addiction at the same time. Axenov tries to de- very closely, I try to catch something Monday, June 15 pict critically this omnipresent idea of consumption they have never shown to the public.” but seems to sympathize with it even more. Lorenzo Agius’s exhibition, Look At Me, is presented indoors and outdoors Carved in Sand at Spiridonov House and in Stolesh- Sand sculpture has become a sum- nikov Pereulok. mer attraction in Moscow. For the second time the mansion and park of Spiridonov’s House Kolomenskoye is hosting an interna- M. Gnezdikovsky Pereulok, 9/8, Bldg. 1 tional sand sculpture exhibition. This May 20 – June 14 year the exhibition is displaying the 11:00–19:00 works of masters from Russia and Eu- Open daily except Mondays rope who curiously work equally well with ice in winter and sand in summer. Stoleshnikov Pereulok This year’s theme runs as The Greatest Kolomenskoye Mansion May 20 – July 19 Achievements of Human Civilisation. Prospekt Andropova, 39 12:00–20:00 And it is better to see for yourself what June to August Open daily except Mondays ideas these sand pygmalions’ imagi- Parks: 08:00–22:00 Free entrance nation have bought to life. Museums: 10:00–18:00, except Mondays

8 June 2009 Previews A Ball for Violins: The Stradivari Festival With so many violins of historical importance and harmonious sound gathered together in one hall, this evening cannot but become a highlight in the season for classical music fans. With all respect to the gentlemen who will be performing on stage, this will be a ladies’ night: Venus and Lady Harmsworth made by Antonio Stradivari in 1727 and 1703 respectively, also a violin by Guarneri del Gesu (1730) and a historical violin by Antonio and Geronimo Amati (1615). The latter used to belong to George IV and was later placed in a private collection. Another Stradivari violin which has not been on a stage for a century, created by the Italian master in 1715, will be played. It has recently joined the collection of the Violin Art Founda- tion, having belonged to the family of the composer Felix Mendelssohn. For the opening, that will feature Yuri Bashmet and Viktor Tretyakov, the Sinfonia Concer- tante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-fl at major, a composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, somebody who wanted to perform in Moscow for a long time, has been chosen. Kristof Barati – another well-known violinist from Hungary will June 8, 11 close the festival with Antonio Vivaldi’s Le quattro stagioni (Four Seasons) to be Grand Hall of the Conservatory played on four diff erent Stradivari violins. 19:00

Jazz à la Arkhangelskoe The beautiful mansion of Arkhangelskoye on the bank of the Moscow River hosts the 6th open-air Usadba Jazz festi- val. The layout of the park makes it possible to create diff er- ent zones for music fans of diff erent genres. The event brings together the best jazz musicians and their fans for a week- end of music under the summer sky. All styles — mainstream, lounge, free jazz, acid jazz, jazz rock, funk etc., will be repre- sented on four stages by more than 30 names from Russia and abroad, including Nino Katamadze and her band, Insight. The legendary band from Soviet times, Auktsyon, funk guru Nils Landgren, Russian minimalist composer Alexey Aigi with his band, 4’33, Andrey Kondakov and Brazil All Stars, will also Arkhangelskoye Mansion perform. To provide parents with a more comfortable rest, June 6 – 7 the organizers prepare a special game zone for kids. They are 12:00–22:00 also planning a fi reworks display at the end of the festival. A For schedule and address see: jazzy and relaxed weekend for the whole family. www.usadba-jazz.ru

Festival of Symphony Orchestras June 12 is Russia Day. The IV Festival of the World’s Sym- phony Orchestras is being held in Moscow to honor this day. This year, the festival will take place in the Column’s Hall of the House of Union. The con- cept of the festival is simple, and this simplicity guarantees its success. High-class perform- ers from a variety of diff erent regions and schools, provide a balanced musical program. Thus, this year we can see and hear: the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse with Maestro Sokhiev, the Budapest Festival Orchestra conducted by Ivan Fisher, WDR Simfonieor- chester Cologne with Semyon Bychkov, and many more. The compositions that will be performed include those of Dmitry Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, Sergey Rachmaninov, Claude Debussy, Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann, Richard Strauss, Modest Mussorgsky… this is a rare treat.

For schedule and tickets see: www.symphonyfest.ru

June 2009 9 Previews Romance Lost and Time went by, and Vekselberg’s founda- in gold and platinum, precious gems tion acquired premises in Saint Peters- and enamel. The Tsar was so pleased Found: The Fabergé burg that will display works drawn from that he gave Fabergé a standing or- Imperial Collection in his own holdings and will also show art der for an egg every Easter-tide, and a Moscow belonging to other Russian collectors. bargain was struck between Emperor Meanwhile in Moscow, one of the in- and Craftsman.” After the 2004 acqui- stitutions of the Pushkin Museum is jus- sition the collection was on display at tifying its name – the Museum of Private the Kremlin Museum, in many Russian Collections; it is here that Vekselberg’s cities and abroad, but since then it has private collection is being housed. also been enriched with other Fabergé The collection includes signifi cant pieces – articles of fantasie – fi ne jew- oeuvres such as the fi rst Hen Egg, the elry, watches, cigarette-cases enam- fi rst in a series of fi fty-two jewelled eggs elled with gold and silver – that used to made by Carl Fabergé for the Russian belong to the Imperial family of Russia Imperial family. This is how H.C. Bain- and were dispersed all over the world bridge, Carl Fabergé’s close friend and after 1917. Armand Hammer, an Ameri- representative in Europe wrote in his can tycoon who was the fi rst to export memoir: “When he [Carl Fabergé] pro- Russian art and antiques from post-So- text by Alevtina Kalinina posed to the Emperor Alexander III [the viet-revolution Russia wrote in his mem- When Russian entrepreneur Viktor year 1885 is the nearest I can come to a oir, The Quest of the Romanoff Treasure, Vekselberg purchased the Fabergé col- date], that for the next Easter gift for the “Business is business, but Russia is ro- lection of Imperial Easter eggs from the Empress he should make an egg with mance.” The art that partially returns to Forbes family in a private sale organized some surprise inside it, the Tsar was all Russia, and its romance is on display at by Sotherby’s in 2004, journalists began agog to know what it was to be. To keep the Pushkin Museum this June. to write in the Russian mass media about an Emperor on tenterhooks may quite a renaissance of the Russian mécénat tra- easily prove a dangerous proceeding, Museum of Private Collections at the ditions. When Vekselberg also said that but Fabergé kept his secret; and, loving Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts he had plans to construct private muse- a joke, he produced what was, to all ap- Volkhonka Ulitsa, 10 ums in Saint Petersburg and in Moscow, pearances, an ordinary hen’s egg, con- Open: 12:00–19:00 the idea seemed too good to be true. taining a series of “surprises” wrought except Mondays and Tuesdays

10 June 2009 Theatre

Who Needs a House Like This? text by Olga Mikhailova As they say in court: I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But what is truth? A personal opinion – is that truth? So let’s say a cer- tain woman appears to you to be plain looking, but this is only because she hasn’t slept well, and the light catches her at an unfavorable angle. But on another day she looks ing the great, and some think she’s a true beauty. The same is true cash value of food. One person wants their meat well-done, but an- of the house is other would find it leathery, and demands that it be served no problem for them. bloody, almost raw. So the write-ups on the lady and the They have the money, meat will be entirely contradictory. The same is true of a but they refuse to lend it theatrical performance. The title, the names of the writer to their friend Igor. More- and director – these are all facts, we can believe these. But over, their arguments are per- how the play turns out, well-done or bloody, is a matter of fectly logical – how will you pay taste. So we begin with just the facts: the Moscow School it back? Where will you fi nd the of Modern Drama Theater is performing the play House, money to maintain this house? Igor on the script of Eugeny Grishkovets with the assistance of is mortally off ended by these rude Anna Matison. The author (as he is listed on the program, questions – he has a dream, and here rather than as director) is Iosif Rakhelgauz. The director is they are aff ronting him with their practi- Sergei Solovyov. The theater is located in an old building calities. By the end of the fi rst act, there are on Trubnaya Ploshchad. two friends left who Igor has yet to ask for money. Interval. It is said that in 1864 the merchant Yakov Pegov and the cook Lucien Olivier (the legendary creator of Russia’s most After the interval, the action moves to the popular salad, the Olivier) opened the Hermitage restaurant screen where these same actors celebrate the here, which was graced by the leading lights of the Russian purchase of the house, in period costume from arts, from Tchaikovsky, who celebrated his marriage here in the beginning of the last century. And then the 1877, to Chekhov and Stanislavsky. hero shoots himself. Either he understood that he couldn’t pay the debt, or after moving he was dis- I walk in. The rows have been broken up, and the seats are appointed with his new house. Or perhaps the in clusters of three or fi ve, haphazardly. This makes the place writers were simply reminded of Chekhov’s The feel cramped and disorderly. At length, with diffi culty, I get Seagull, and thought: how cleverly Chekhov round- to my seat. Each of the four walls has a video screen. Aha, ed off his acts – let’s do that too. But what did all so this is why Sergei Solovyov is on the program. The show this show us? They brought in good actors. There are starts. The curtain fully conceals the stage, and the actors even media personalities – Alexander Gordon, and the sit among the audience in mixed rows. Some can see them beauty Tatyana Vedeneyeva. But what are they all getting from their seats, some can’t. But in any case, their faces are at? Does the theater sympathize with the hero, or condemn shown enlarged on the screens. The protagonist stands up, him? The frivolity verging on imbecility, and total lack of and makes his way between the seats to the other players. higher goals, or any interests other than personal material So now he is partially visible. I presume that this leveling of gain, make the hero appear to be a satirical character. But the artists with the audience means that the protagonists his terrible death should, by theatrical logic, trigger our are no diff erent to ordinary people, and that this will be empathy. However, shown on the screen in pseudo-histori- about you and me. cal dress, the hero ceases to be a living person. Just a sign, a shadow, a typical representative of the mortgage crisis. Now to the story. Igor, a doctor of around forty, decides all Why does he want a house? It would be easier to buy an of a sudden to buy a house. In fact, he has yet to pay the mort- Olivier salad – a mass of guaranteed pleasure. P gage on his apartment, but such trifl es do not bother him. I want a house, and that’s that. But a house costs money – no small sum. But this isn’t a problem either. I’ll borrow. But from whom? The bank won’t lend anything until the outstanding Moscow School mortgage is paid off . Friends will lend. It turns out that all of of Modern Drama Theater this ordinary doctor’s friends are very wealthy people – fi nd- June 11, 12, 13

June 2009 11 Theater G a l i n a V o l c h e k . . .

text by Marina Lukanina ater in Houston said she wanted to invite Galina Volchek, the artistic director of me to stage Echelon in Houston. All the the Sovremennik Theater, comes from Russians were shocked. A Russia Minis- an artistic family. Her father was a fi lm- try of Culture representative was always maker and a cameraman who won four present at all meetings, and he would State prizes. always prohibit everything. Nina won support from representatives of the US In 1956, Oleg Efremov, a prominent Rus- State Department and she immediately sian theater director and actor, set up a asked the opinion of the Russian Minis- studio – which was to become the Sovre- try of Culture. It was a Saturday and the mennik Theater, with his young graduates ministry of culture representative had among whom was Galina Volchek. no one to seek advice from and had to give an immediate answer: that he did After Efremov left, Volchek became the not have any objections. So in Decem- artistic director of Sovremennik in 1972. ber of 1978 I crossed the Atlantic. She has directed over 30 productions. She was the fi rst Soviet theater director When did your theater fi rst go abroad on to be invited to work to in the USA. tour? During Soviet times, very occasion- She is a USSR People’s Artist (1988), ally, we would be sent to socialist-block Winner of the State Prize (1967), the countries. And in 1989 we were selected Prize of the President of the Russian based play. However, they insisted and by an American producer to perform the Federation for literature and art (2002), brought their own interpreter. I was plays, Three Sisters and Into the Whirl- a recipient of a great many national and shocked as I thought they could never wind, in Seattle during the Good Will foreign awards, including the Order of relate to this. Games. The Sovremennik performed the Labor Red Banner (1976), and “For for 1.5 months every day non-stop. It services to the Fatherland” of the 3rd During the intermission I suggested was a great success! Degree (1996), 2nd Degree (2003) and to them that they could leave if they 1st Degree (2008). wanted. They were silently sitting in Then we toured twice on Broadway. I their places as if frozen to their seats. was very nervous the fi rst time. The New What was your impression of your fi rst Then all of a sudden one of them stood York Times fi nally published an excellent trip as a director to the US? up abruptly and took my hand. I fi g- review about us and I cried so hard. I was the fi rst Soviet director invited ured she wanted me to take her to the to stage a production at an American restroom. As we entered the restroom, So New York audiences accepted you as well? theater and this was the fi rst time in the that was full of people, she said: “Galina, I do not want to boast but the Sovre- history of our countries - in 1978, in the I want to invite you to stage the same mennik is the only drama theater to hold midst of Cold War. There were many as- performance in a theater in Houston,” a Drama Desk Award. It was awarded in pects of that trip that were so strange, and she asked me when I could come. 1947 by US writers and journalists; 600 uncomfortable and scary; I needed to I told her in December. It all seemed people voted for this award. No foreign constantly remind myself that I had to so bizarre to me – in the middle of the theater has it, including the London get back here, to where my son, my fam- restroom, in the midst of Cold War – an Shakespeare Theater which goes on ily and my theater were. invitation to the USA! tour there.

How did you even get invited to begin with? At the end of the performance I went Returning to the present: what have been A sizeable theater delegation arrived to see them again. They were still sitting your latest opening nights? from the USA invited by the Agency of there motionless. That night two more In March we had a unique event – the Author’s Rights. Their goal was to ana- theater directors invited me to stage opening night of a new version of Niko- lyze Soviet dramaturgy and to promote this play at their theaters. lai Kolyada’s play, Murlin Munro. The old it in the West. On their last evening in version was part of the theater’s reper- Moscow they decided to come to the In the morning, during the meeting toire for 19 years, starring Elena Yakov- Sovremennik and see the play, Echelon. at the Agency of Author’s Rights where leva, Sergei Garmash, Nina Doroshina, I tried to discourage them from this I was invited, Nina Vance, the founder and Valery Shalnykh. So I fi gured that idea since it was a very Russian culture- and the artistic director of the Alley The- the play had grown tired – the crew got

12 June 2009 Theater “America for example is way ahead of us in musical theater but is equally behind in dramatic theater” older and they outgrew their heroes. But Currently one for sure will be joining our ander Galin will direct his play with our the audience adored this performance team - Katya Polovtseva. young actors. and they began writing to the theater asking us not to stop performing. We have a good crew of young actors I read that your relationship with your at the theater now so I am trying not to son, Denis Evstigneev – on a professional I decided to let Sergei Garmash, one recruit more right now. level – is the source of constant argu- of my actors, whom I was pushing to try ments. What does this mean? directing anyway to re-stage this play What does the future hold for the Sovre- Denis indeed has an independent from scratch with a new crew. After three mennik? artistic personality. He has proved that months we held the opening night with Theater can’t exist without plans. Cur- many times – at first as a cameraman new actors. I was nervous as it was a very rently, Sergey Puskepalis is directing Yas- receiving all possible awards. Then he popular show but they played wonder- directed wonderful movies like Limita, fully. Sadly, this play has not lost its rel- Mama and Let’s Make Love. And he evance but has become even more ap- is constantly asked a question that plicable to the present time. makes me irritated (I can only imagine how he feels) – how hard it is to be the Another new performance is Gaft’s son of such a mom and dad? When a Dream, retold by Viktyk, (Valentin Gaft person is a grown-up and proved him- is a Sovremennik actor and Roman Vik- self, how much more does he have to tyk is a Russian director). Gaft is, for the do to justify himself, his art, and his in- fi rst time, acting both as an author and dependency? an actor. I love Gaft dearly and every- thing that comes about from his cre- Yes, we often have arguments but ative work. only on an artistic level. In terms of foot- ball – we have the same preferences. Do you attract young actors/directors to your theater? How did you end up being a Duma del- Defi nitely. During this season, we took mina Reza’s play, God of Carnage. This is egate? Your impressions? four students from the Russian Academy a great tragicomedy that was launched For an artist, every experience is an in- of Theater Arts. They were to direct their on Broadway at the end of March. The teresting experience, so it was interest- plays on the other stage of the Sovre- Sovremennik received exclusive rights ing for me. I don’t regret it. mennik using our actors – no other con- for this play in Russia. We planned the ditions were imposed upon them. I said opening night for May in the framework What plays would you recommend for that this would be a success even if only of an Open Festival of Arts, Cherry For- someone with a minimum knowledge of one of them ended up working for us. est. Also, the famous playwright Alex- Russian? It’s easy to recommend Chekhov as there is a belief that everyone knows him and we have two of his plays – Cher- ry Orchid and Three Sisters. I would rec- ommend Five Evenings. Foreigners who have seen it really enjoyed it.

Some critics predict the end of repertoire theater in Russia… America for example is way ahead of us in musical theater but is equally behind in dramatic theater. That’s why Stanislavski is like a God there.

I strongly believe in the value of rep- ertoire theater. It is Russia’s greatest as- set. If it goes, we will lose our upper hand. P

June 2009 13 Community

Expat Field days, expats would turn up because over the weekend there wasn’t much to do. Over the past few years things have changed because Hockey Club most of the facilities that we used to play at have been converted into other sports facilities such as tennis courts, and the stadiums that we used to use in the winter have become horribly expensive and we can’t aff ord to pay these kinds of prices. We used to pay 3,500 an hour, now we have to pay 15,000 or 20,000 an hour to play at an indoor sta- dium. We have now found an alternative for winter, by playing on a smaller pitch but only playing 5 a-side or 6 a-side, which is better than nothing. People don’t mind paying 350 or 400 rubles maximum for a game of hockey, but not 1,000 rubles each. In summer we continue to play outdoors on a full fi eld at Sokolniki.

We only have one team in Russia, so we basically play against ourselves. Foreign teams do visit sometimes and we put a team together to play them. If there is a local tourna- interviw by John Harrison ment going on, we play an exhibition match, which is usually Field hockey is a sport which is very popular in other parts a couple of games each summer. of the world, such as the UK, Spain, Germany, Holland, Austra- lia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, parts What sort of hockey do you play in Moscow? of Latin America and is alive and well in Russia too! We play what is called mixed hockey and most of the peo- ple currently playing have played before. Some of the players Vineet Arora, the founder and coordinator of the Moscow Ex- are ex-Russian team players who want to keep in touch with pat Field Hockey team talked about the Moscow team: the game and come and join us. I am an honorary director of the Russian Field Hockey Federation, trying to help them get How did fi eld hockey start in Russia? sponsorships, help them organize tournaments, invite teams In Russia, in comparison to other parts of the world, fi eld from abroad and other organizational help like that. hockey is more popular amongst women than men. During the Soviet period, hockey was a popular sport because it was spon- Are most of your players expats? sored by the government. That all changed in the late 1980s. I Yes, but now we do have a lot of Russian participation too. myself used to play a lot in India before I relocated here in the Let’s say that now it is about 50/50. early 1990s. In those days there wasn’t very much to do in Mos- cow; so most expats would get together to play a sport which How can anybody who wants to play get in touch with you? was also a form of social networking. That is how we started, Anybody who is interested in playing hockey in Moscow in the same way that other expat sports such as cricket started can contact me (see details below). The cost is approximately here. We didn’t have a lot of hockey kits in Moscow then, so I 300-400 rubles per person, which covers the cost of booking brought some in from India. We started with a small group of the pitch. This is a non-profi t venture, more for social net- people who knew the sport and at the same time encouraged a working, to keep in touch and play the sport and simply get group of local Russians, who were beginners and interested, to some exercise. We play every Saturday afternoon. take part. Thus how the expat fi eld hockey club was formed. The EXPAT FIELD HOCKEY CLUB invites women and men Do a lot of people take part? to play hockey every Saturday from 15:00 to 16:30. Begin- We used to have a large attendance throughout the year because ners welcome. Sticks provided. For more information, contact in summer we would play outdoors, and in winter indoors. In the old Vineet Arora, tel. 768-7317 or e-mail, [email protected]

Football News text by Nick Rees an exception for one person – the manager of the Cloggs – Darren Keane. As well as being one of the two founders Over the next few months we will bring you an insight of the league, he has also been elected president of the into each team in the league and try to give you an idea league due to his honesty, commitment and drive to grow of who’s running them and how useless they are. If they’re the league. Hundreds of years in the casino business hasn’t a good team, I’ll take the credit somehow anyway. This taught Darren to be a good loser though and his team is month, we’re going to feature the Storming Cloggs who the mirror of him. No game against the Cloggs is a friendly were one of the two founding teams of the league, along as alongside Darren is Dave “The Rave” who runs the team with the Moscow Flagons, back in 2003. Usually I don’t from the sidelines. Known affectionately as “Koont” and trust men with shaven chests or those which have suits “The Knee Terrorist”, Dave adds more spice to a game than cut sharper than a maniac’s razor but I have learnt to make a dodgy vindaloo in Maharaja!

14 June 2009 Community

Over the years, the Cloggs have won the league a total of 3 times, been runners up (ie. losers!) a grand total of 5 times and won the cup once. Always the bridesmaid… rarely the bride! Darren, over the years, has put the blame on their lack of success on global warming, Ghandi’s assassination and the American Civil War (which was probably started by one of his players who we will come onto later).

Their best player by far is Rainer Fischer who is probably the best player that Austria has ever produced (or ONLY player that they have ever produced). It’s quite rare to see a good player without an ego Clogg’s Top Scorer Table but Rainer is one of the nicest guys on a pitch that you will ever see. Darren Keane – Storming Cloggs – 4 For everything good in the world, there has to be an opposite and he Ian Crompton – Storming Cloggs – 4 is historically the Cloggs’ top scorer, Juan Lopez. Born in Spain, grew Rainer Fischer – Storming Cloggs – 4 up in Plymouth, supports Man United and hated by refs all over the Chris Dobson – Lundbeck United – 4 world! More moans come out of his mouth over 90 minutes than Hosein Abakpour – Moscow Bhoys – 4 Night Flight during a 2for1 off er! The referees might hate him but they can’t stop him from scoring which, admittedly, he does well. With just the 4 rounds of games gone so far this summer Vadim isn’t a name you hear much in the expat league but season, the Cloggs are unbeaten and on top but very closely he was ‘adopted’ by the league and has been the defensive followed by Lundbeck who are possibly the team to watch. force behind the Cloggs almost since the very beginning The new Turkish team, Real Brothers, are 3rd and unbeaten along with Big Phil, Little Phil, Paul, Michel, Ivor and the infa- having beaten Turkish rivals Pasha 2-1 recently. mous supersub Pete the Meat. Come down and watch us during the summer – even if you The Cloggs aren’t known for their defensive duties as they hate football, we have cold beer, shashlik, soft drinks and a have a cheeky bunch of creative attackers in Ian, Raul, Lee, great familiy atmosphere. Rainer and Darren and proof of this comes in the form of the top scorers table so far this season with just 4 games played: For more information, contact me at [email protected]

June 2009 15 Community

text by Lick ‘n’ Blow trail and catch the hare before the end of About halfway round there was a photos by Alina Ganenko the run. More recently the hares have put chance to catch up with the hare, meet marks on the ground in fl our so that the the walkers or just to recuperate some When I tell friends and acquaintances harriers can follow a path though the park energy. The rest of the run was a little that I am a member of the Hash House and these may be arrows, dots, circles or more, well, eventful. The trail went across Harriers they seem to think that it is crosses. Finding the correct route from a small stream and those with long legs something to do with taking drugs. Ac- all these diff erent marks is part of the fun jumped over while others found an tually this is a group of expats and Rus- and often involves people getting com- easier route. One of the false trails led sians who meet every Sunday to go for pletely lost. Alternatives to fl our are used some members onto a frozen lake which a run in diff erent parks throughout the in the winter such as colored water, chilli then led to everyone getting lost again. city. No matter if the temperature drops powder or ribbons. There are stops dur- Passing though a child’s play park some below -20C degrees, if there is heavy ing the run for games, singing, talking and people couldn’t resist using the slides rain or searing heat, there will always drinking, depending on the fi tness of the and monkey bars. Eventually we arrived be someone there. This is not simply a group and how sociable they are. At the at a local bar and after lots of running we running group but people who go to end of the run members are rewarded were rewarded with drinks and food. socialize, to walk, to see new parts of with beer or other drinks, and food. Moscow and there are those that like to The run is usually between 5 to 8 ki- go for the beer and songs. In Moscow the runs are usually set lometers but there is a more leisurely within the MKAD and we will often go to walking option. It doesn’t matter if you This is a truly international organiza- Kolomenskoye, Sokolniki, Sparrow Hills are a serious runner or just want to walk tion with 1892 groups in 1229 cities in or Izmaylovsky Park. This week the peo- in the park. All are welcome – even 182 countries from Alaska to Antarctica. ple who are setting the run, our hares, children. There are lots of other social Often groups organize events such as ski- were at a park near Altufyevo. If you events organized by members of this ing trips, cruises, and anniversaries where have been a few times then it is usually group and it works closely with the chil- members from other cities are invited. customary to stop using your real name dren’s charity, Kitezh. It costs 150 rubles Every two years, an interhash is organized and give youself a Hash name. Our hares each time but this money goes towards where all members are invited to come are called Rooted and Burning Lust and a drink at the end of the run and your together to celebrate and run. The last joining them for the run were, among second time is free. We meet every Sun- one was in 2008 in Perth, Australia with others Biggles, Bono, Yo Boy, 007, Wrong day at 3pm outside the Tchaikovsky 4500 attendees and the next one will be Exit and Snap off . There was only a small Concert Hall near Mayakovskaya or if in 2010 in Kuching, Borneo. The idea was group of 12 on the run described here you join the group e-mail you can fi nd originally formed in the 1930s, in Kuala and there was none of the usual singers where the run is week by week. Lumpur, Malaysia by a group of British co- and people who like to play games so lonial offi cers who needed to run off the this time we were bereft of certain fri- You can sign up to the excesses of the weekend. “Hash” comes volities. The newcomers were welcomed group e-mail though the website, from the name they adopted from their and the marks explained to them and we www.moscowharriers.itgo.com colonial club, The Royal Selangor Club, set off into the woods. On that occasion which was called the “Hash House” be- we had what is known as a “live hare” Information about worldwide hash- cause the food was very much like an which means that Burning Lust had set ing can be found at www.gthhh.com English dish made from leftovers or hash off 15 minutes earlier to put the fl our and there is more of the history of the stew. The Harriers are a pack of runners marks on the trail. If you were looking at Hash House Harriers on Wikipedia. P who chase after a member, or members this as a Russian walking his dog in the of the group called hares. It is an idea park you would probably be wondering that originated from a game called Pa- what on Earth is going on, what all these per Chase or Hare and Hounds during people are doing wandering around in a the early Victorian times in Britain where park looking for fl our and shouting “on- pieces of paper that were supposed to on”, “are you?”, “false trail” and “check it represent the scent were left behind by out”. Well it makes perfect sense if you the hare. Others would try to follow this have done it a few times.

16 June 09 Community

Moscow’s most experienced hasher telling others how it’s done

No matter what the weather is like there will always be somebody in shorts

Ignoring the marks two adventurers head off across the lake

Enthusiasm is the key!

June 2009 17 Community

The origins of Russian charities date back to the year 998, to Making the Epiphany of Russia. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible special legislature focusing on helping people in need was a Positive introduced. The early 20th century was marked as a period of high activity for Russian charities. According to the web- site www.infoblago.ru there were 11,040 registered charities Impact on in the Russia Empire in 1902. Most of this work was stopped dead by what happened after 1917, when the funds of all pub- People’s Lives – lic and private charitable organizations were nationalized. The late 1980s brought dramatic economic changes in Rus- Big Brothers sia followed by the formation of private capital. This, in turn, led to massive segmentation of the population and made the Big Sisters Russia issue of charities exceptionally acute again. At the beginning of the 1990s, the fi rst active charitable or- text by Marina Lukanina ganizations in Russia were foreign grantors, such as the Ford Fund, the McArthur Foundation and the Soros Fund. The next step was the appearance of Russian charity funds, such as Vladimir Potanin’s Fund and Dmitri Zimin’s Dynasty Fund.

Currently, there are still quite a few obstacles that prevent Russian charities from eff ective development, such as an un- favorable tax system for both grantors and grantees, and a distrustful and sometimes even negative attitude from peo- ple who have somehow lost the notion of philanthropy being an inalienable part of civil society.

We decided to learn more about one of the charities in Rus- sia – Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) – and talk to its executive director, Roman Sklotskiy, about this organization and the po- tential challenges it is facing as a non-profi t organization.

What is Big Brothers Big Sisters? BBBS is the world’s largest mentoring program helping over 280,000 children around the world reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships.

How long has BBBS been in Russia? How big is the program? We have been in Russia for the past fi fteen years. Our pro- gram started here under the auspices of diff erent youth movements in the regions: Perm, Kirov, Tambov, Yoshkar-Ola; and later it reached Moscow. Together with Moscow we op- erate in seven regions now (also in Tumen and Yaroslavl). In the regions, the program has developed on the basis of peda- gogical universities.

How does the program in Moscow diff er from the regions? In Moscow we exist like our American equivalent. We fully comply with BBBS international standards. The program is in- dependent hence we do not work with any specifi c universi- ty. We work with three boarding schools and one orphanage in Moscow and we plan to expand our network. Currently, we have about 100 matches in Moscow (2008) and about 300 matches in the regions.

How does the program function? I would say the core of our program is our volunteers. They come to us through the Internet, word-of-mouth, etc. We have a rigorous volunteer selection scheme. We look for spe- cifi c people who have plenty of patience and understanding to work with diff erent types of children.

18 June 2009 Community

How do you attract the funders? It does not make sense to ask for money right away. Ideally, we try to get some volunteers from an organization, establish the necessary level of trust and later ask for fi nancial support.

We organize various fundraising events. Our most recent one was a poker tournament at the Metelitsa Club. Among our cur- rent supporters are Ernst & Young, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, AIG/Lincoln, Evolution & Philanthropy and United Way.

Do you think you have any competitors in the Russian charity market? Product-wise – we do not. However, in terms of funding we do compete with other agencies, specifi cally with the ones that off er adoption services and foster care.

Compared to Western non-profi t organizations, the issue of transparency in Russia seems to be quite diff erent. What’s your opinion on that? Just recently I participated in a conference devoted to trans- What would be a typical profi le of a volunteer? parency of non-profi t organizations in Russia. I think that such A single female, between 19 and 30 years old, diff erent pro- reporting should exist. We are striving for full transparency as fessional occupation (from students to business executives). the overheads are dramatically lower compared to the real ser- vices rendered by Russian volunteers helping Russian children. What’s the selection process to become a volunteer? Our case managers conduct an extensive interview with every Where can we get more information about the program and volunteer to fi gure out his background, what his motivation is how to get involved? and his personal issues. Basically, they try to identify what brings You can refer to our web-site, www.bbbsrussia.org, that has him to this program. Then a volunteer fi lls out a written test that the contact details of our Moscow offi ce. P gives a more accurate impression of his psychological features and interests. Our case manager makes a psychological portrait Big Brothers Big Sisters BOARD OF DIRECTORS: of each volunteer and matches him with a child. Before being Chairman: Stephen O’Connor (AIG/Lincoln) admitted to the program, a volunteer must bring a health certifi - Vice Chairman: John Delargy (Blackwood) cate from a mental health clinic and also a note from the police. Co-Treasurer: Peter Reinhardt (Ernst & Young) The children’s safety is of the utmost importance to us. Co-Treasurer: Robert Gruman (PWC) Secretary: Sergey Sirotenko (PWC) Do they go through any training? Board Members: Most defi nitely. Volunteers go through a 1-month training Dora Rechnitzer, Max Hosford (Hosford Properties) course (25 hours). During this course they are taught how to Walter Martinovich (Rombus) work with children, how to react on certain questions, how to Victor Petrovich Golovanov address various issues, etc. There is a specifi c section of train- (Institute for Family and Upbringing) ing that addresses safety. Honorary Director: Ambassador Justin Harmon (Embassy of Ireland) What happens next? Executive Director: Roman Sklotskiy For two months a volunteer meets once a week with a child ([email protected]) on-site (at the orphanage or at the boarding school). After two months he is allowed to take the child off -site in agree- ment with the orphanage administration. That is what usually brings most joy to a child – hanging out at a volunteer’s house or going to see a movie or a theater play. Children are not allowed to stay overnight, however. Each match is also moni- tored by our case managers.

How is your cooperation with orphanage administrations go- ing? What’s their reaction to BBBS? They understand the value of the program but they are also afraid to take the responsibility of allowing children to be tak- en off -site. There is some reservation about the name of our program as well, as sometimes it is associated with some reli- gious movements. We build trust by regular visits of our case managers to the orphanages and maintaining close contact with both children and the administration.

June 2009 19 Profi le text by Kevin McNeer

Editor’s Note. Kevin McNeer, an American documentary film maker living in Moscow recently made a documentary about the life of Boris Efimov, one of the most famous Russian political cartoonists of the 20th century. In this article, Kevin shares some of the insights he gained during his meetings with the artist.

The political cartoonist Boris Efi mov drew his way through the 20th century in Russia. By the time he passed away last year at 108, his pen had churned out political cartoons for Soviet newspa- pers and magazines on just about every major world event of the past hundred years. Whether it was during the dark days of WWII, when Russia faced annihi- lation by the Nazis – who had orders to hang Efi mov on sight – or during the su- per-power days of the Cold War, Efi mov always had an inexhaustible supply of images and jokes to deploy against the enemy. His list of satirical casualties ranges from the Tsar to Ronald Reagan, from the epoch of the horse-drawn car- riage to the space age.

While perhaps not as skilled a draughtsman or portrait artist as some of his contemporaries, Efi mov had an abundance of wit and was exception- ally well read, which gave his drawings a stinging conceptual punch. A telling ex- ample is a Efi mov drawing from World War II described by Vladimir Mochalov, a fellow cartoonist and artistic director of the famous satirical magazine, Krokodil: “Boris Efi mov published a famous car- toon with the caption: ‘A True Aryan is Tall’, and he drew a small, scrawny Goe- bbels; ‘A True Aryan is Fit’, and he drew a fat Goering; and, ‘A True Aryan is Blond’, for which he drew Hitler with his black bangs. This was an absolutely timely, witty drawing, a classic political cartoon that you might call: aiming straight be- tween the eyes.” In the bleak early years of the war, cartoons like this one played a critical role in maintaining morale. Efi - mov himself says about those cartoons, “I have an entire folder of letters from frontline soldiers who thanked me for those cartoons, who wrote me, ‘Draw their faces even funnier, because then it’s more fun to pull the trigger.’”

I fi rst met Boris in 2005 at his apart- ment on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, just

Boris Efimov across the Moscow River from the White

20 June 2009 Profi le

House, when I arrived with a fi lm crew to critical of Israel during The Six-Day War? Then one day, Stalin dropped a maca- make a documentary fi lm about him. At “Well, that depends on what you mean…” bre hint to Koltsov: “Comrade Koltsov, 104, he was still drawing, answering let- he answered, and never really answered.) have you ever thought of shooting ters, writing articles and exercising his yourself?” Efi mov’s older brother was ever felicitous wit. The fi lm was initially It was Koltsov who brought Boris to spooked, but he continued to work for planned as a short, cute portrait of an Moscow, who helped him fi nd work as a and believe in Stalin’s regime. Just over ancient man who had witnessed some cartoonist. Koltsov was well connected, a year later, he was arrested and offi cially of the most momentous events in the and by the 30s, his was a star on the rise. sentenced to 10 years in a labor camp. 20th century – the Russian Revolution, He covered the Civil War in Spain for Only after Stalin’s death, did Efi mov learn two world wars, the Stalinist Terror – and, Pravda, palled around with Earnest that his brother had been executed. miraculously, survived them. I wanted to Hemingway there and take the viewer on a visual odyssey wrote a book about Did you not see it all coming, I had through the whole cen- it that made him asked, with the mass arrests taking tury using Bo- the most famous more and more people? Efi mov told ris’s countless journalist in the me how his brother and he were talking political car- Only after Stalin’s Soviet Union. With late one night in the 30s about the ar- toons. But these death, did Stalin’s encour- rests, and his brother had said, “I can’t plans took an agement, he was understand a thing about what’s going unexpected turn Efimov learn that made an editor on. Where are all these enemies among when, in prepara- his brother had at Pravda and a us coming from? People who for years tion for the shoot, been executed. we’ve worked with, fought alongside, I read his autobiog- been friends with, suddenly turn out to raphy. Much of the be enemies of the people and instantly book was devoted to confess to everything. As soon as they Efi mov’s older brother, M i k h a i l end up behind bars… they confess to all Koltsov, a famous journalist who was their crimes. As Pravda editor, it would arrested and executed under Stalin. I seem I should understand this and ex- became increasingly interested in the plain it to people, but I am like the last brothers’ relationship to each other and man on Earth: I can’t understand any- their relationship to Stalin. How could thing about what is happening.” Efi mov have continued working for a re- gime that had killed his brother and best “But still,” I pressed, “Koltsov must have friend? What was his attitude toward understood, but perhaps couldn’t admit Stalin now? This is what we ended up that Stalin was the source of the evil, or…?” discussing for hours over the course of several summer afternoons, with Efi mov Boris thought, and answered, “It taking breaks to draw, browse through would seem he must have understood his old photographs and cartoons, and that Stalin was doing it. But why? It was recommend books I should read, such as strange. It didn’t make sense. Stalin was Trotsky’s autobiography, My Life, or The such a wise person. Koltsov would tell Count of Monte Cristo (better in the origi- me his jokes, observations and respons- nal French, he advised). es. He liked Stalin.” The more I learned about Koltsov’s activities in Spain, the The two brothers Boris and Mikhail grew clearer it became that he worked very up under the Tsar. When the Revolution closely with Stalin and that he was likely and Civil War broke out, they supported responsible, or at least aware of execu- the Bolsheviks and adopted diff erent sur- tions of supporters of Franco carried out names, because reprisals were often car- there, i.e., Koltsov, whatever his noble ried out against whole families, and Kiev, intentions might have been, also prob- where they lived, was constantly changing deputy in the Duma. And Efi mov, for his ably had blood on his hands. hands. As Jews in Ukraine, which before part, was already being published regu- and during the Revolution saw vicious larly in the country’s biggest papers. The marathon interview sessions wore anti-Semitic pogroms, Boris and Mikhail Both brothers were celebrities. on me, and they must have worn on Efi - had learned well how to survive by hiding their identities (the family’s real name was Friedlund). (This experience and the Stalin- ist terror certainly helped to make Boris into a master of the evasive answer, inci- dentally. It was often diffi cult to get Efi mov to express opinions on some of his car- toons: As a Jew, did he really support the Arabs when he drew dozens of cartoons

June 2009 21 Profi le mov. Not only his age but the fact that we confessed that he was a traitor, a turn- were talking about his life, his brother’s coat, an enemy of Soviet power? It was death and events that had deep emo- a complicated time. Now it’s fi ne to criti- tional resonance for him. Often Boris cize. I am not Giordano Bruno to burn would suddenly stop the interview and at the stake on a matter of principle. I thank us – with excessive politeness – for knew that if I said, ‘No, I won’t!’ I would coming, in a not-so-subtle hint for us to end up in the very same place. My fam- leave. But other times, he became so en- ily, my wife would be killed. I recall those grossed in the story he was telling that cartoons with aggravation, with shame, it seemed he could go on through the with disappointment, but I couldn’t night. Once, when I asked him if he were have acted diff erently then.” tired, he shot back with a smile: “Are YOU tired? Maybe YOU need a break?” And Not everyone accepts this answer. The so he went on with his stories, listing full Internet has more than a few nasty post- names and dates from the 20s and 30s as ings about Efi mov and the propaganda if he were reading from a prepared text. he delivered for Stalin’s regime, as well as about his brother. In response to Efi mov I challenged him about his support calling his supernatural longevity a gift for Stalin’s purges, his drawings during of the years taken from his brother’s life, the infamous Show Trials of the 30s, one well-known Russian artist, Mikhail when Efi mov published vicious political Zlatkovsky, wrote: “It is exceedingly dif- cartoons against his friends, including fi cult for me to imagine how our un- Bukharin and Trotsky, depicting them happy country would have endured the as Nazis and spies when he knew the proposed longevity of his older brother, accusations against them were false. Mikhail Koltsov…” The cartoonist was sent by Izvestia to cover Bukharin’s trial, and it was ex- For me, the most diffi cult part of Efi - pected that he would portray Bukharin mov’s attitude to understand was his ob- as guilty: “What was I supposed to say vious respect for and sense of gratitude when I heard with my own ears how he toward Stalin – gratitude for not killing him after his brother had been killed. “He gave me my life and my work – how can I not be grateful for that?” Efi mov said. “He could have lifted his little fi nger, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation today.”

“But,” I objected, “Stalin didn’t have the right to grant or deny people life! Although, maybe…”

Efi mov completed my thought: “He didn’t have the right, but he had the ca- pability, the power to do it.”

Boris and I would go back and forth about this as we fi lmed, and after one such session, he suddenly realized how bizarre what he was saying must have sounded to me. It was a striking mo- ment of self awareness – he saw himself from my perspective, the perspective of a young American who couldn’t fathom what life in the Soviet Union in the 30s was like. On the tape, Boris looks at me almost sympathetically (poor boy, he’ll never get it), and says, “It’s complex, of course, psychologically complex. And the question is complex.” The terrible fact, however, is that this self-awareness did not change Boris’s position: “I still can’t renounce the idea that I am in- debted to him for my life.” P

22 June 2009 Medicine

How Swine Flu: Serious is the Threat?

new genetic features with each succes- text by Anastasia Kachevskaya sive wave. We have only seen the fi rst version of this virus. Chances are high The international press has that a mass use of the currently eff ec- convinced us that we have been tive antivirals (Tamifl u and Relenza) will teetering on the brink of a deadly prompt the virus to develop resistibility pandemic. How serious is the threat and become extremely aggressive. for us in Russia? Given all this and the accompanying As of May 17, 2009, 39 countries have of- media frenzy, it was hardly surprising that fi cially reported 8,480 cases of infl uenza the Russian Government tried to protect A (H1N1) infection: Mexico has reported the state from an uncertain, yet potential- 2,895 cases of infection and 66 deaths. ly fatal disease. Well, at least it appears to 4,714 cases have been confi rmed in the have, considering offi cial statements and United States, and four deaths. Canada news feeds emerging in newspapers, TV has reported 496 cases and one death. bulletins and on web-sites of the most de- Costa Rica has reported nine cases and pendable information agencies. one death. Russia has (at the time of go- ing to press) so far, reported no labora- Moscow authorities are said to have tory-confi rmed cases. You can put away been, and to continue to be, particularly Chances are your gas-masks and plans to evacuate to vigilant. Security has been tightened Antarctica, for the time being. at Moscow airports and across the bor- high that a mass ders. Passport has received reports that In hindsight, it seems that we may some arriving passengers (particularly use of the have over-reacted to the ‘pandemic’. from swine fl u smitten countries such as The spread, not the lethality, of this out- Mexico and the USA) are being subject to currently break was so rapid that WHO raised its close examination with infrared imagers pandemic alert level on April 29 from 3 and disposable thermometers. Any pas- effective to 5 on a scale that goes to 6. The Avian sengers with a higher than normal tem- fl u in Asia never made it past 3, though perature have been temporarily isolated antivirals the H5N1 was defi nitely more virulent. in newly-equipped care centers at the Yet it was not able to hop from person airports. Checking has, as far as we can (Tamiflu and to person eff ectively. With A/H1N5, no ascertain, been sporadic. There has been animal contact is required. It is easily a ban imposed on pork imports from the Relenza) will transmitted from person to person and Americas, Spain, Britain and some Cana- presents a toxic cocktail of genes spe- dian provinces for fear that the virus may prompt the cially designed to smash up your im- be transmitted through pork – a most mune system. So far the antiviral Tamifl u controversial measure bearing in mind virus to develop has proved to work, although that does that it has not been proven that swine not explain in full why deaths outside fl u spreads from eating cooked meat. resistibility and Mexico have been proportionally few. Ludmila Shvetzova, fi rst deputy mayor of Moscow, said in a statement that the become Swine fl u, unlike ordinary fl u, which air in the Moscow metro and other pub- mostly carries off the old, aff ects mostly lic places is being treated with ultraviolet extremely the young and healthy and is a sign of a for disinfection. It is not clear exactly what highly pathogenic virus strain. A highly this means, and further clarifi cation has aggressive. pathogenic virus is rare, and historical- not been forthcoming. Nikolai Vlasov, ly-speaking, usually brings high death head of the Federal Veterinary and Phy- tolls. There is no natural immunity and tosanitary Monitoring Service, said at a the virus is prone to evolve gaining conference that authorities are strength-

June 2009 23 Medicine ening disease-surveillance systems, allo- people’s minds for weeks. According to Others view the swine crisis as a help- cating fi nancial resources to fi ght the fl u Nikolai Philatov, head of the Moscow out- ful tool for the Russian Government and improving communication channels let of the Russian Consumer Inspectorate, to divert public attention from more between health ministries, their regional up to 7 million people could be infected inconvenient problems such as eco- outlets and international bodies. He pre- in Moscow in the near future, 3 million nomic recession, infl ation and soaring ferred, however, not to elaborate on ex- people may be taken down with severe unemployment rates. After all, pro- actly what measures are being taken. infection, 2.7 million people may re- tagonists of this attitude claim; the fl u quire out-patient treatment and 480,000 appears to be barely more contagious National stockpiling of drugs has been people may be hospitalized. However it than any normal seasonal fl u so far. In stepped up, with antiviral factories be- is diffi cult to know whether to take such Russia, 10% of all the population are af- ing put on overtime, a welcome surge in fi gures seriously or not. fected every year, and that is over 14-15 manufacturing capacities, which will be million people. With the current con- “enough to provide for the whole coun- tagion rate, and the form that the fl u try,” according to Vlasov. Vlasov also said has taken, one stands a greater chance that pig-breeding farms are seeing a lot of being murdered here than coming of swine vaccination activities these days, down with swine fl u, – a 1% chance per and laboratories have started to clear the 12,000 people roughly, according to of- decks after the Avian fl u to receive their fi cial statistics. As a Russian blogger put fi rst samples of the new strain from the it, “the swine fl u panic appears to be CDC (the USD-based Center for Disease nothing but another TV-driven scare to Control and Prevention) early in May and produce mass hysteria. First, there was work on a human vaccine. This vaccine SARS, then Avian fl u, and now this swine will become available to “ordinary” Rus- thing, to be followed, perhaps, by an sians in November this year, according to outbreak of a cockroach infl uenza virus. RIA Novosti, although how CDC can be so Doug Stevens, Of all those infected, only 50 have died, sure that they have developed an eff ec- chief medical offi cer, yet enough to scare tens of millions out tive vaccine is not clear, bearing in mind Moscow SOS International of their wits to cry ‘Wolf’ at every sneeze that the rest of the world is trying, so far and spread panic.” unsuccessfully, to produce such a drug. The alarmist attitude didn’t last long, The new drug will apparently be distrib- and most Russians now regard the This ostrich-type attitude will remain uted through state health care units or li- swine fl u issue with a large degree of in vogue as long as the virus doesn’t censed private clinics such as the Moscow pophigism, basically a Russian screw-it- come to Russia. Undoubtedly, sooner outlet of SOS International. Though the all-attitude, highlighting lack of interest or later the virus will come to Russia. Ac- regular seasonal fl u vaccine is unlikely to in anything but private matters and an cording to Doug Stevens, chief medical provide any eff ective protection against unshakable belief in the omnipotence of offi cer with Moscow SOS International, the current strain, Russian public health- the state to protect you against any out- most probably it will come from Europe care offi cials recommend those who have er menace. While the threat of a world – or will be brought in from Mexico. Ac- not been vaccinated at all to consider do- pandemic is looming large, Muscovites, cording to estimates of the Russian As- ing so in the near future. There is evidence perhaps correctly, have been enjoying a sociation of Travel Agents, there are over that even a seasonal fl u vaccine may help blissful spell of nonchalance and caress- 2,500 Russian tourists in Mexico now. make a swine fl u case milder and reduce ing rays of the spring sun, leaving it to Soon they are to come back home bring- death risk, according to Vlasov. the government to deal with anything ing swine fl u problems home to roost. Ac- more substantial. From a Passport sur- cording to Doug Stevens, there are 3 fac- What Russians Think vey carried out by asking 100 bystand- tors to aggravate a swine fl u outbreak in Two predominant attitudes seem to ers on Tverskaya on May 15, many do Moscow. First, a very high percentage of prevail. One is alarmism with a tinge of have a vague idea of what is going on, public transport use. Second, unhealthy mob hysteria. In April and May, Yandex, however as yet the problem is too far lifestyles extremely widespread among the most popular Russian search engine, away to be of any real signifi cance. Russians (heavy smoking, drinking, registered over 130,000 enquiries about which saps the strength of the stressed fl u on the Internet. Thousands of people Many analytical comments are not de- organism and suppresses the immune all over Russia are following the latest void of skepticism, though. Some think system). And fi nally, but not least, social swine-fl u-news over the radio and tele- the fl u is just a ploy of pharmaceutical behavior such as spitting in the street vision with a sinking heart and heated companies, concocted to make money and discarding garbage and personal debates in local communities. Both state in fi nancially troubled times. The price hygiene tissues in public places. How- and private companies are working out of Tamifl u in Moscow, has almost dou- ever, such grave sentiment came under pandemic action plans and unfolding bled, according to one video blog con- fi re from Gennady Onitschenko, head of public awareness campaigns. Chemists in nected with RIA Novosti. Even the least the Russian Consumer Inspectorate, who regional centers ran out of existing antivi- eff ective remedies (for instance, Reman- when presented with this view, called ral drugs and gauze bandages in a matter tadin) have seen a surge in price here in such claims “absurd and groundless”. of hours when news of deaths in Mexico Russia. Shares of one pharmaceutical fi rst broke. Macabre doomsday scenarios company based in Moscow skyrocketed The good news is that that this is the occupied front pages of newspapers and by an average of 19% the other day. end of the fl u season in Russia. Russia is

24 June 2009 Medicine a long way from Mexico and has a dif- now swine flu has broken out, there is what is being planned to be done as ferent climate, much more severe than considerably more chance that the vi- part of your company’s Pandemic Ac- that in Mexico or Europe, and a diff er- rus will continue to mutate and create tion Plan. ent national diet with a heavy reliance an extremely dangerous form. on onions and garlic, two natural anti- What about a mask? If you are not viral remedies. Due to regular seasonal To Those Who do not Want sick you do not have to wear a mask. onslaughts, with mass vaccination to Catch Swine Flu – From Yet if you are caring for a sick person, campaigns, Russians have developed Moscow SOS International you should wear a mask when you are a heightened collective immunity, As swine fl u is a respiratory disease, in close contact with them and dispose suggesting a milder course of the dis- it spreads from person to person in the of it immediately after contact, and ease and fewer death cases. Finally, it same way other fl u viruses do – through cleanse your hands thoroughly after- is not the fl u itself that brings about infectious respiratory droplets. Re- wards. If you are sick and must travel death, rather the complications which leased when a person coughs, sneezes or be around others, cover your mouth it causes in advanced cases when a pa- or talks at a distance of up to a meter and nose. tient faces lack of proper treatment. or so. Sometimes people may get the infection by touching something with According to CDC, infected people So Russia seems to be quite hard- the fl u virus on it (doorknobs, key- are potentially contagious during the ened to weather the swine viral storm, boards, counters) and then touching incubation period – one day before the and much better than other involved their mouth or nose. symptoms start, and seven days after countries. The swine flu strain may be the symptoms start or as long as they

no more dangerous than any ordinary So, the best way you can protect are still showing symptoms. Children, seasonal flu, yet it is absolutely unpre- yourself is to observe good hygiene. especially young children, might be dictable. Even if there is a lull to come Avoid surface contact as well as peo- contagious for longer periods. It is for weeks or months, it is too early to ple who are obviously or might be highly advisable to monitor your health feel complacent. There is a danger sick, wash your hands frequently with for 7 days after possible exposure and that the swine flu virus with its abil- soap and water or cleanse them with stay away from work, school and other ity to hop from human to human may an alcohol-based hand rub, avoid public places. Should you develop any penetrate Indonesia and Central Af- touching your face, and if you do, be symptoms of an infl uenza-like illness, rica, where another virus, the highly sure your hands are clean. Reduce get in touch with your doctor without pathogenic H5N1, also known as Avian the time spent in crowded places, fail. Report your symptoms and explain flu, has become endemic, and mutate improve airflow in your living space why you think you have infl uenza A there. If these two viruses produce an by opening windows and practice (H1N1) (e.g. if you have recently trav- offspring, which will inherit the worst good health habits including sleep, eled to a country where there is an out- qualities of its ancestors, then Russia eating nutritious food, and keeping break in people). Follow the advice will find itself in a very serious situa- physically active. To boost your re- given to you. Before the doctor arrives, tion indeed. Currently things seem to sistibility, take vitamins, eat plenty rest and take plenty of fl uids, use a be under control. It remains to be seen, of vegetables and a minimum of 4 mask and avoid contact with people. though, whether the fortifications are pieces of fruit a day, drink less alco- To bring your temperature down, use strong enough to withstand any new hol, smoke less, restrict travel, moni- paracetamol or ibuprofen, but not as- mutation may take. A year ago the tor your friends and colleagues and pirin which can bring complications! If whole issue of a flu pandemic was not get regular check-ups with your doc- the illness is serious, call an ambulance taken very seriously. However, with tor. Better strike pork off your diet for (03 or 112 from your cell phone). In any swine flu, things have changed. The a while. Remember, home cleanness case, if you have any doubts about your danger is that ‘Wolf’ has been called and hand washing are essential. At health, you should check with your out too many times. The fact is that work, check with your HR department health care provider. P

June 2009 25 Art History Levina-Rozengolts Revelation of the 20th Century

the notorious Dom Na Naberezhnoi saw an interlacing of naked branches (House on the Embankment) where par- against the background of a vast sky ty bosses used to live and this dwelling and realized that she had seen the allowed her interesting perspectives of rhythm that Falk kept talking about. Moscow. No matter how talented and harmonious these works were, they Rhythm was a cult in art of the begin- were created exactly in the manner of ning of the century and for Falk it was a Falk’s school: the principle of painting symbol of faith. This individual rhythm, from nature, traditional subjects (still which was suddenly discovered by the From the People series lifes and city landscapes). Falk expected artist, opened up totally new picto- text by Olga Slobodkina-von Levina-Rozengolts to create something rial opportunities for her. She began to Bromssen large scale rather than just follow him imitate that rhythm on fl oral ornaments in his footsteps. The student lived up to and that put an end to Falk’s system in Looking at the versatile eclectic pan- the hopes of her teacher after she spent her creativity. Paradoxically, as it might orama of 20th century Russian art one 7 years in exile. seem, Falk considered her “his only true suddenly comes across a phenomenon, student.” Levina-Rozengolts found her which might only be described as a rev- The artist’s brother A.P. Rozengolts, own individual relationship with the elation. Such is the art of Eva Pavlovna People’s Commissar of Foreign Trade in surface of the sheet, with the spot, with Levina-Rozengolts. the Communist Party’s Political Bureau, the line and with the light – all the com- was executed in 1937 in connection Levina-Rozengolts (1898-1975) lived in with the prosecution of Nikolai Bukha- an epoch when experience of previous rin (1888-1938), one of the leaders of generations seemed to be unaccept- the Bolshevik Party and the fi rst State of able and art was feverishly looking for Workers and Peasants, while her other new forms. In music, that spiritual work brother G.P. Rozengolts, a well-known was carried out by Dmitry Shostakovich, microbiologist, was exiled to the town in poetry by Anna Akhmatova and Osip of Karaganda. Mandelshtam, while in painting, among those well-known, were great artists such For 12 years, Eva Pavlovna was waiting as Mikhail Vrubel or Robert Falk, as well to be arrested. If she heard a car pass by as the less famous, but no less important her window she would lie on the win- painter Levina-Rozengolts. Her art will dowsill looking out of the window. She be a guide to the spiritual quest of the was arrested after World War II in 1949 20th century for future generations. and exiled to the Krasnoyarsk region of . She worked for a lumberjacking The creativity of Levina-Rozengolts company on the Yenisey River painting can be roughly divided into two peri- names on ships. In order to do this she ods: before her arrest and after it. had to be lifted up to a great height. To Untitled, 1963-1964 survive she also painted rugs and sold A student of Robert Falk, Levina-Roz- them out to the local people. But that ponents of painting were reconsidered engolts started her artistic career as was only part of her life there. In Sibe- by her, which allowed the artist to begin his follower both in manner and color. ria the artist discovered something that a principally new work. While in exile, During the initial period of her work, became crucial in her life: she found the artist contemplated the hugeness one can fi nd oils on canvas dating back herself alone, face to face with nature of Earth, which gave her tremendous to the 1930s. The Old People, for ex- – huge spans of land, water and unin- creative potential. Having no materials ample, which was her diploma work at terrupted panorama of the sky with its to work with, Levina-Rozengolts started VKHUTEMAS (All Russian Higher Artis- phantasmagoria of the ever-changing drawing right on wet sand and these tic and Technical Workshop), won her clouds. “I’m always on the bosom of na- pictures were immediately washed the rank of a fi rst degree artist. Another ture and always alone,” she wrote in her away by the waves. She continued her work is Marusya, A Woman of Razyan. letters home. drawing experiments in a cheap album This fi rst period also included early pas- and ordinary exercise-books painting tels – highly refi ned still lifes and Mos- One winter day Eva Pavlovna was with Indian ink and watercolors. In 1954 cow city landscapes. The artist lived in working in the taiga when suddenly she she got a permission to move to Kara-

26 June 2009 Art History ganda where she could work as a the- Falk was astounded by these sheets: phorically making one’s experience a ater decorator and a property person. “This is something so perfect, so strong, flow of rhythms, gestures, movements and so incredible. These rhythms are so and the magic transformations of light Her real creativity began, however, expressive. The forest now cries, now and darkness. That’s why, despite the when she came back to Moscow after wails, now moans, now damns,” he said. tragic subject of these pictures, they her exile in 1956. She started working evoke a purely visual pleasure of ex- both with an irresistible craving to make At the beginning of the 1960s the art- pressive form and perfection of mas- up for the lost time and to overcome the ist started a new series: The Sky, which tership. The combination of black and pain. On the other hand she strived to she continued till her dying day work- white gives birth to an inimitable play say whatever she had to say. Luckily for ing in Indian ink and in pastels. She said of light whereas light is the most im- her, Falk was still alive. He was shaken to portant means. see the new works of his student. “Eva Levina-Rozengolts is the only justifi ca- Alongside the People series Levina- tion of my teaching,” he used to say. Rozengolts began another series called Portraits. The name is quite conditional From 1956 Levina-Rozengolts start- for each portrait is a certain type, an in- ed working in Indian ink. Another big carnation of human qualities – wisdom, change concerned the form of her work kindness, etc. – she began creating series, because the content of her art became so com- After the Portraits series the artist plicated that it spilled over the bound- continued the People series creating its aries of one single closed image. The second act, so to speak – Plastic Com- series were necessary to express new In the second row from left to right, Rob- positions. Unlike the “Rembrandtian” ideas and images, in which her creative ert Falk, Eva Levina-Rozengolts series in “Plastical” compositions the thought could develop in time – from creative thought develops from tense one sheet to the next. she could hear and sing the melody of dramatism and turbulent dynamics to the clouds. The images in this series are searches of a way out – liberation. The This new period started with the diverse and yet they are all one. Like in characters in this series are not black series, Trees – bewitched woods with Beethoven’s symphonies, their inner and white anymore, but silver-gray- naked dead trees whose branches en- rhythm gradually develops from the in- ish or light bluish. They do not look tangle convulsively creating phantas- creasing dramatism to culmination and like people from Earth, but rather like mal rhythms and evoking a feeling of ir- abatement. spirits, i.e. people after death in diff er- reparableness – to be continued by the ent bodies, more subtle than fl esh and series, Bogs – tragic landscapes without The mastership in this series is as- blood. They seem to have reached the a single human soul creating an impres- tounding. It’s hard to believe that with Sky in the fi nal sheet of the series – Se- sion of total aloofness from all living such simple media as Indian ink, brush renity is upon them, the Kingdom of things. The powerful emotional infl u- and pen one can create images of such Clear Azure Light. ence is achieved by the subtlest transi- emotional force, dramatic power and tions from black to white revealing a beauty – both conditional and realistical- Search for Harmony dominates the multitude of intermediary shades. This ly accurate. Looking at these skies with last sheet of the Sky series, which is – kind of space, which contains nothing their transforming sailing clouds and the and this is common spiritual knowledge but a shifting swamp with an occasional play of light and shade one starts think- – not on Earth, but in the sky. People thorn in it, or air saturated with damp- ing they are the real sky while the real sky become lighter and happier on leav- ness, seems to have an endless stretch. begins to conjure up the visional images ing Earth. Likewise in these landscapes, created by the artist. the Earth gives way to the sky. The fi rst sheets of this series still contain a nar- Even before The Sky series, Levina- row strip of land dissolving in the rays Rozengolts had created the first draw- of the light in later sheets until what is ings of her People series, which was left is just the sky alone – solemn, lofty, named “rembrandtian” by art critic bereft of earthly troubles. Mikhail Alpatov. The images in this se- ries bring forth associations with such The Sky series was the fi nale of the giants in art and literature as Shake- artist’s creativity as well as her life. Levi- speare, Dante and Rembrandt. These na-Rozengolts seems to have found generalized images – complicated her own sky, her heaven and left the and allegoric – create a polyphonic earth happy and lucid. What is left for action of man’s life on Earth. These are us is her great art, which, if we use me- not characters of the 20th century re- dieval terminology, can only be de- ality – they might even be Medieval or scribed as a refl ection of “light immate- from earlier centuries while this lofty rial” and “unspeakable grandeur of artistic language does not picture Eternity” where every blade of grass is Old timers, 1925 concrete situations, but speak meta- a Breath of God. P

June 2009 27 Architecture

and picturesque ceramic tiles. A special Dream Palaces of the Art Commission was set up to contract the best architects, sculptors and art- Moscow Underground ists across the Soviet Union. Thousands of young volunteers, as well as political prisoners dug tunnels under very harsh conditions, following the commands to “speed up” and “beat the deadline.”

In late 19th – early 20th century the city fathers studied and rejected a num- ber of projects of the Moscow under- ground for diff erent reasons. The owners of the ground transportation, who did not want to lose their businesses, closed ranks and lobbied aggressively against these proposals. The Moscow Imperial Archeological Society was also against the construction. However, it was the Mayakovskaya is considered to be one of the most overall economic and political instability, accomplished and balanced stations caused by the revolutions of 1905 and 1917, World War I and the Russian Civil text by Dr. Olga Zinovieva War, which interfered with construction. Had the Metro been built earlier, it would photos by Alina Ganenko have looked very similar to the industrial The Moscow Metro was opened in subways in London, Paris or New York. May 15, 1935, as a critical component of the city’s Stalinist Master Plan. It was con- The Plenary Session of the Communist structed rather late in comparison with party took the decision to build the Metro the London, Paris or New York City under- in 1931. Stalin’s dream of Palladian style ground transportation systems. However, was refl ected in the Metro to the most. The no other subway in the world could com- Soviet Leader, the Red Tsar, agreed to have pete with it in the lavishness of the deco- less lines and stations at the cost of their ration and spaciousness of halls. Even the ceremonial appearances and spectacular choice of the word “Metro”, short for “Met- narrations on the walls and ceilings. Dis- ropolitan” meaning a rapid transit rail sys- tinguished architects, sculptors and artists tem for the capital city, emphasized the felt honored to be awarded state orders grandiose undertaking, instead of more for the design and decoration of the new common words, such as a subway, tube, national project. The Moscow Metro has or underground, used in other countries. refl ected the history, political and eco- nomic situation of the country in full. It proved to be a very strong manifes- tation of Soviet technological capability, One of the mosaic pictures by Alexander Its circular and radial plan mirrored the artistic creativity and pervasive ideology, Deineka in the Mayakovskaya station city plan of circular and radial streets. The expressed in stucco and brass sculptures, fi rst radial line (1935), called the Red Line or mosaic pictures and stain glass windows. Sokolnicheskaya now, went from Sokolniki Several times a day, every passenger had Park to Park Kultury but it also had an ex- to admire and absorb the myths of the tension to Smolenskaya, a part of the con- heroic labor and the Communist paradise temporary Light Blue Line. The stations for all. The underground palaces evoked were very laconic in expression, some in Russian fairy tales through many artistic constructivist style without any decora- methods, which included magic fl owers tions, such as Chistie Prudy for example. and leaves on the wall and benches, in- Among the most distinguished stations tricate lamps and chandeliers, horns of are Krasniye Vorota, where Ivan Fomin cre- plenty, as well as ancient helmets and ated the spirit of an ancient grotto and a shields, bows and arrows. very elegant and light Kropotkinskaya by Alexei Dushkin, which was designed to It was a truly national construction site, be the underground entrance hall to the when hundreds of diff erent productions Palace of Soviets, being built nearby but were involved, supplying metal, bricks, never accomplished. Komsomolskaya cement, staircases, cars, as well as gentle Mosaic plafond by Alexander Deineka presented an attempt by Dmitry Chechu- marble, strong granite, sparkling glass (Novokuznetskaya station) lin to build an underground palace with

28 June 2009 Architecture columns crowned with capitals, staircases 1944) guides us through the science history and balconies, decorated with gold plated of the origin of electricity, as well as the in- sheaves of wheat in order to satisfy his vention and production of electrical bulbs. Kremlin customers. Evgeny Lancere, an Marble reliefs by Gregory Motovilov por- esteemed artist, made sketches of miners, tray engineers, draftsmen, workers, quality working in this area and fi nally his majolica control people along with kolkhoz men and picture of the festive labor, was placed on women supplying food for the workers. the wall of the transition hall to the Ring (Brown) Line. During WWII, some of the stations served as bomb shelters and conference Already in 1937 the line from Smolen- halls for the communist party. It is very skaya was extended to Kievskaya and in hard to believe that the construction of 1938 a line was launched from Kurskaya stations never ceased during the whole to Sokol. The speed of the construction military campaign – but it’s true. Seven sta- accelerated but the underground stations tions were put into service during the war. Illusive stain glass windows, brass fl ow- became more decorated to meet the de- ers and stucco, outlining marble koko- mand of the totalitarian regime in monu- In 1950, the fi rst section of the Ring Line shniks in the Novoslobodskaya station mental propaganda. Ploshchad Revolyut- (Brown Line) was opened to the public. sii was Stalin’s favorite station according to The circle was completed in 1954, already his daughter Svetlana Allilueva, now a US after Stalin’s death. No wonder, that this is resident. The station presents the Soviet the most popular line amongst tourists. Its Mount Olympus with gods of labor, agri- spectacular stations, transfer halls, stair- culture, military service, agronomy, edu- cases and tunnels refl ect Stalinist mature cation, maternity, aeronautics, etc. Each post-war architectural style. It was meant expressive sculpture by Matvey Manizer to celebrate Soviet victory in WWII and the gives an example to follow – work hard, glory of Stalin’s Empire. The designers’ un- study well, go in for sports, be aware of the restrained fantasy brought together classi- enemies around you and be ready to de- cal elements of folk art and cutting-edge fend your homeland at any time. technologies. The Komsomolskaya ring station (architects: Alexei Shusev, Victor Today, Mayakovskaya, located on the Kokorin, mosaics by Pavel Korin, 1952) is a Green Line and designed by Alexei Dushkin, retrospective look of the Russian victories is thought to be one of the most accom- by regular regiments in shining mosaics. plished and well balanced stations. Its slim The Belorusskaya stations (architects: Ivan columns, faced with precious rhodonite and Taranov, Nadezhda Bykova, sculptors: Ser- trimmed with stainless steel, transport the Ploshad Revolutsii station, sculptor: Mat- gei Orlov and Saul Rabinovich, 1952), show vaults upwards to windows which opened vei Manizer, architect: Alexei Dushkin partisans, common people, involved in right to the skies, to the heavens. One can the liberation movement, through impos- almost breathe the fresh air; see airplanes, ing sculptures. Kievskaya station (sculp- balloons and paratroopers and admire tors: Evgeny Katonin, Vadim Skugarev, mothers, who raise their healthy children to Geory Golubev, artist: A.V. Mizin, 1954) is the skies. These are 34 mosaic pictures cre- an anthem to workers, collective farmers ated by Alexander Deineka, who modestly and engineers, guided by the Communist called them “Twenty Four Hours of the So- party. Park Kultury (architect: Igor Rozhin, viet Sky”. In 1938, a model of the station won sculptor: Saul Rabinovich) is a narration of the Grand Prix at the World Fair in New York; how the Soviet people should spend their and in the late 1980s, it received the status of leisure time, going in for sports, singing, an architectural monument. Prospect Mira (Brown) Ring Station dancing and performing.

The idea of windows, which could take The Metro had a lot of sculptures, you from the underground straight be- mosaics and reliefs of Stalin and Lenin. hind the clouds, was very popular at that Semyonovskaya was called Stalinskaya time. Oktyabrskaya ring station (Leonid once. Now, one can only see Lenin’s imag- Poliakov, 1950) has an iron-grill door with es; all Stalin’s portraits have disappeared such a realistic blue sky behind it that it from the underground stations for good. tempts you to take out a golden key and open the door to another world. In 1935-1953 more than 40 stations were built along the tunnels of more One should not deny the educational than 50 kilometers long. A unique un- value of the Metro narrations. Elektrozavods- derground museum of monumental art kaya (Electrical Bulb Factory) of the Dark Blue and ideology was created during this Line (Vladimir Gelfreich and Igor Rozhin, Constructivist style Park Kulturi station short period of time. P

June 2009 29 Time Off MMoscooscow from th r text and photos e e by Ross Hunter Riv All aboard with full naval honours and delicious Built on seven hills it may be, but a good panorama of Moscow anticipation: gangplank, smart uniforms, precession is hard to fi nd. The Ostankino Tower is closed, new towers are though the lower decks, past the bar (or pause – ser- mostly unfi nished, and none of the other obvious spots aff ords vice is simple but good value) and up to the sun decks. a full view (apart from the Swissotel, which I can’t aff ord). The boat sets off with purposeful zest, and the hour and a half to come is full of relaxed action. Thanks to So, how to see the whole city without exertion? Simple! From the sinuous meanders of the river, most great sights the river. The Moscow River is as unhurried as the city is frenet- are seen a few times. Moskva-City recedes at the end ic and cuts through it at most of the interesting points. Green of the unfurling blue ribbon of water, briefl y assum- views, clean air, fresh water – what more could anyone want? A ing a Dubai-esque mirage. Then on the port side, the brisk breeze? Consider it done! splendours of Novodevichy Convent are eternally inspiring. The double bridge of the 3rd Ring Road The fl eet of water boats that ply the bends are ideal for any heralds change to a green swathe, and the long left purpose – a romantic getaway, exercise for the camera, a party, hander under the Sparrow Hills belies being in the a sunset aperitif with moving scenery, a children’s expedition center of a city of 13 million inhabitants. This is Mos- – any excuse, your cruise awaits you. There are several routes, cow’s best linear leisure park, and the grassy banks boats, operators and prices, up river, down river and round are thronged by sunbathers, picnic parties, courting trips. Most popular is to glide downstream from Kievskaya, al- couples, children, trick cyclists and skateboarders, though cruises do start further west under the towering cliff s walkers, musicians, readers and sleepers. of the new business areas.

Kievskaya is an ideal starting point. Get there early, and enjoy the views before embarkation. Behind is the fi ne railway sta- tion, the SAS hotel and an imposing, if curiously styled, shop- ping center; in front, the splendid fountains and fl ags. A spot of people watching is always entertaining here. Across the river, generous banks sweep up to the Hotel Borodino and behind it the imposing Stalin gothic squat shoulders and sharp spire of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs: just one of the fi ve ‘Wedding Cakes’ in view along the way. And then there is the pedestrian bridge that welds its way across the river. An amazing construc- tion, looking well able to support at least a railway line or two, with seemingly every face and column in a diff erent material and style: solid stone uprights; massive steel arches, crystal fac- eted glazing and riots of contrasting colour. Theme, pattern, or purpose? I can’t fi nd it – happy hunting! It is the fi rst of eleven bridges to play echo-ooohs under (16 on the full route, includ- ing passing under the Metro lines twice, as they break surface at Smolenskaya and by the university).

Cameras ready, the reel of photo ops spins ever faster...

30 June 2009 Time Off

As the boat yaws steadily to port around the peninsula, the Vodootvodny Canal views are unique. Inside the bend is the imposing symmetry of In Moscow’s ever turbulent history, while the left bank was the Luzhniki Stadium, the famous venue for many great foot- repeatedly razed by fi re, the right bank risked inundation in ball games involving Spartak, Russia… and last May’s match wet spells and swampy disease in the sticky summer. After between a couple of English outfi ts painting the town red and a disaster in 1783, an inspired decision was made to dig out blue. A wonderful stadium – another must-go venue. Oppo- the Vodootvodny Canal and it was completed just three years site, enjoy amazing and unexpected views of Moscow Univer- later. Having saved the city, it is now one of its great treasures, sity, the largest and second most elegant of the seven ‘Wed- worth an excursion in its own right. The smaller boats off er ding Cakes’, peeking imperiously above the trees. In front of tours, with guides, along this delightful waterway. The west- this paragon of rationality stands… the ski jump. Majestic in ern half is the more scenic, with the chocolate factory, Repin profi le, mad in prospect, this is a sport to watch often, but to guarding his Bolotnaya Park, the fountains and the Newly th r try probably only once. Weds’ Bridge, and a cacophony of incongruous architectural e styles. Being Zamoskvareche, the streets are tighter and less e Round the bend (meaning the boat has moved, not a com- planned, and great views come as quick glimpses and pleas- Riv mentary on the previous recreational opportunity), and anoth- ant surprises, making for better photos. A stroll along the er imposing pair of sights fi ll both port and starboard sides: to canal is the answer to almost any question, whether on foot, bike or from a boat deck.

Round trips, clockwise, take an hour and cost 400 rubles. Leave from Repin/Newly Weds’ Bridge.

facing a varied set of buildings on the right with churches, hotels, theaters and power stations elbowing each other. Ahead, the studied symmetry and elegance of the Sta- lin skyscraper at Kotelnicheskaya with its white limestone topped by aluminium So- viet sculptures. This for-

your left, the statuesque apartment build- ings of Frunzenskaya – arguably some of the best ‘des res’ properties in Moscow, aff ording great views of the river, and the morning sun, with the sophisticated areas of Park Kultury, Kropotkinskaya and Tolstoy’s house behind. To the right, Gorky Park beckons with its array of amusements to gawk at or squawk from.

Float on by. Next up, under the Garden Ring and past the brutalist cube of the New Tretyakov, assuredly better on the inside than out, fl anked by the ever fascinating sculpture park, and watched over by the immense landmark of Peter mer residence of the elite writers and artists rivals the univer- The Great directing traffi c, as here the river keeps left, but the sity for location and beats it for beauty. canal takes a shortcut to the right (see side box). Alight here for Kitai Gorod on the city side, or Tretyakovskaya Cameras ready, the reel of photo ops spins ever faster: what’s on the south side. Or carry on down to Novospasskiy Most, un- left of the historic Red October chocolate factory opposite the der the shadow of the Swissotel, and head for Paveletskaya or gleaming gold of the new Christ the Saviour cathedral, the pair Proletarskaya. In 80 minutes, you have eff ortlessly glided past linked by the splendid promenade footbridge. Salute the Krem- most of the best of Moscow’s sights, as unhurried as the river, a lin and St Basil’s, and if you are lucky at dusk, watch the twinkles welcome break before the bustle of the city reasserts itself. Or of GUM’s lights as they fl icker on for the evening. The remains turn round and do it again; or carry on downstream to Kolomen- of the less than lovely Hotel Rossiya are cased in car adverts, skaya... But that is another story. All that for 400 rubles. P

June 2009 31 City Beat

The Soviet system of sport education in schools stipulated numerous tests and standards and they were the same for all. Those who couldn’t jump as high and run as fast as they were supposed got bad marks and were made fun of. Many pupils, whose lives were turned into nightmares because of PT, turned to doctors to try and get a fake health certifi cate in Fad order to avoid the lessons they hated so much. To my shame, I did the same, until I fortunately broke my leg. That was my salvation and I could sit on the bench and watch others being or Fitness tormented. These memories are hard to forget and it is one reason why many post-Soviet Russians don’t go in for sports. ?The owners of the fi rst fi tness clubs realized that they had to text by Elena Krivovyaz, spend huge sums of money to make people believe that “fi t- drawings by Maria Luneva ness” has nothing to do with those school sports. Millions for advertising, millions for rent and millions for equipment…

Twenty years ago Russians didn’t know what the word hardly a good business to be in – in the 1990’s. The only way “fitness” meant. There was “sports” and that was it. to make money was to make Russians think it was a new trend. Anybody wanting to get fit had to visit their local so- The fi rst visitors of fi tness clubs were rich criminals, they were called sports clubs, usually stocked with old-fashioned the only who could aff ord the club memberships, as member- training equipment, a constant smell of sweat and total ship cost more than an application to Eton College. Eventu- absence of service. Today’s fitness clubs are a totally ally, fi tness clubs became kind of a fashion. different story, but have their own peculiarities. Oases of the Soviet Past Pre-history Over 300 – that was the number of fi tness clubs I found in a As a Soviet Union-bred citizen I must confess that the emer- recently published reference book. Basically, fi tness clubs can gence of fi tness clubs during the last fi fteen years is a true be divided into three groups or categories. Exclusive – clubs revolution. Many of my contemporaries and our parents re- for the well-off , (about 10-15% of all fi tness clubs), with mem- member PT lessons at school. It would be an understatement bership prices starting at 60,000 rubles per year, middle-class to say that those lessons were scary. Soviet PT teachers were level (more than 35-40 % of all clubs) which encompasses mostly men with unsuccessful sports careers. Not all of them those that cost 25,000-50,000 rubles per a year. The third cat- were good teachers. “Everybody is playing volley-ball!” Our egory (about 50%) of clubs needs no introduction to most teacher always began the lesson with these words. “Those Russians – local gyms stylized in a 1980s or 1990s way. They who don’t like volleyball can sit on the bench like losers.” He cost from 500-1,000 rubles per month and can give you noth- found this very funny. ing but old and rusty equipment and unsanitary bathrooms.

32 June 2009 City Beat

“I spent two or three years in a local gym,” recalls Oleg Voroby- “One day I decided to lose weight and went to the nearest ov, a 29-year old business analyst. “It was in the cellar of a block Planet Fitness club,” recounted Julia, a 26-year old business- of fl ats. I only went there for the company. But it was awful. When woman. “This was about a year ago, so I paid 5,000 rubles for the it was rainy the fl oor of our gym was wet and fl eas bit us terribly. fi rst month. It was a special; I didn’t have the 30,000 I’d needed There wasn’t any staff , just a security man who could sometimes for the whole year. I liked the fi rst free lesson and the trainer. go away for an hour or so and leave us locked inside.” But when I started training on my own, he started to follow me around, saying I should pay an extra 7,000 rubles per month for That’s why people turn their eyes to middle-class clubs. These personal lessons. ‘You can’t do it all yourself, you will just sweat establishments can off er more service – like swimming pools, and not lose your weight,’ he said. Then I decided to quit and aerobics, yoga, boxing, a solarium in addition to equipment never went back.” which looks much better than those in local gyms. The fl oors and cloakrooms are clean, but there can be exceptions. There This is one of the reasons why the management of these can be queues for the most popular training stations. Men and clubs tries to persuade clients to buy a year’s or at least six- women – all mixed together. The piped music depends on the months membership up front. The staff tries to be polite and taste of the managers and trainers, and is usually pop, whether friendly, but not everybody can. Don’t be surprised when call- ing reception at one of these clubs to fi nd out that the staff treat you as if you aren’t actually there (“Can’t you see, I’m busy with the other clients, please wait for ten minutes!”). Stay where you are and get used to it, or swap clubs.

Special Clubs for Special People During the last fi ve to eight years, the number of special clubs for men and women has increased. If you are a woman and don’t want to bump into sweaty unknown men in a train- ing session, visit a fi tness club for women. Well-known clubs such as World Class, for example, have a club for women – World Class Lady’s. There is also a network of clubs for women – Miss Fitness and many others. There are many fi tness clubs for men only, such as Sport&Spa, Terra Sport Kopernik and others. The price for these specialized clubs is considerably higher than for an ordinary middle-class club.

The price for luxury club membership, for mixed or single sex establishments, can be over 100,000 rubles. These clubs can invite you for a couple of test visits. There are no queues here, and the staff smile naturally. There are fi tness bars, shops, children’s rooms and other facilities at your disposal. You’re always given a fresh towel, slippers, and tooth-brush, etc, all as part of the ordinary admission fee. Clients pay not just for good service and impressive and splendid interior de- sign, but for the chance to meet people: businessmen, diplo- mats, etc. There are no occasional visitors in these clubs. Such fi tness clubs don’t need more than 500-800 members, in con- you like that or not. Some of the clubs charge low fees but make trast to big fi tness club chains, which may have thousands you pay extra for use of the changing rooms and towels. of members. Membership fees for the top clubs can be over 200,000 rubles (Biosphere, Rixos Royal SPA Welness center, “When I was trying to fi nd a fi tness club not far from my home, Vitasport) but not all off er better service than those which I found Fitness Empire (Imperiya Fitnesa),” said Maria, a 23-year charge 100,000 rubles per year. old designer. “It cost 5,000 rubles a year, and I’ve never seen such low prices in a fi tness club before. But when I started go- Though there are many places to go for fi tness, Russians ing there, I understood that I had to pay extra for everything: for are still divided into two camps: those who cannot aff ord it using a cloakroom, for using the swimming pool and for some and think it’s just a whim of rich, and others who take fi tness of the training equipment, too. When I asked the staff what the as a kind of fashion and choose the most expensive clubs. membership card gave me, they just shrugged their shoulders.” Are there people who understand that fi tness is an everyday necessity and has nothing to do with either whims and fash- Middle-class level clubs can off er you free lessons (from one ion? Well, they exist, but many consider it better to do physi- to three) with a trainer. He gives you a medical check, asks ques- cal training at home or have a run or walk in the nearest park tions about your medical history and gives some advice. But rather than pay money for their own eff orts. then if you want to train on your own, he may put pressure on you to try to make you pay for personal training. That’s because These are some of the reasons that fi tness clubs in Russia such personal lessons constitute the instructor’s main wages. are still the reserve of the elite, and fees are still considerably Some clients fi nd this kind of pressure intimidating and leave. higher than equivalent establishments in other countries. P

June 2009 33 Travel

A young Nanai girl standing outside her house The in Sikachi-Alyan Nanai People of the Amur River

text and photos ders lie in the traditional territory of The 70km drive from to The by Piers Gladstone one of the Amur region’s indigenous Museum of the Indigenous Culture of the cultures, the Nanai. Like many indig- Amur River, close to the village of Sikachi- At the village of Sikachi-Alyan, 40km enous cultures around the world, the Alyan, is devastatingly beautiful. Cabbage downstream from Khabarovsk on the Nanai’s way of life has been under fi elds fl ank the road, dotted with bending banks of the fast-flowing Amur River, constant threat from the modern, fi gures attending their crops. Lush roll- a collection of 11th century BC petro- industrial world that has grown up ing hills and forests set a backdrop for the glyphs (rock carvings) on basalt boul- around it. scene, while meandering rivers make their

Dmitry and Volodya prepare the boat to head up-stream

34 June 2009 Travel

Dmitry at the River for Dimitry Aktanko, the Nanai vil- helm of his lage elder and my guide, to get his an- metal boat cient Ural motorcycle and sidecar push started. We go along a bumpy track down to the river’s edge, the two metal milk pails in his sidecar clanking loud- ly with every bump. Dimitry parks his bike and makes for an old tin boat with virtually no paint left on it – an equally old outboard engine attached to its back. “In recent years our people have come under a lot of pressure because of the tremendous amounts of log- ging,” Dimitry explains while preparing the boat. “We have lost our traditional places for hunting,” he continues, “and now there are very few fi sh left for us in this river.” Recent tests on the water of the Amur River revealed it contains dangerously high levels of chemicals, oil and copper.

Hunting and fi shing were an integral part of the Nanai way of life. The Nanai traditionally lived in isolated villages scattered alongside a 600km stretch of the Amur River and its tributaries in Rus- sia and in which sits on the op- posite bank of the Amur. There are now less than 10,000 Nanai in Russia and ap- proximately 4,000 in China.

The Nanai used to wear clothes and shoes made from fi sh skins and were known also as the “fi sh skin people”. In 1858 the entire left bank of the Amur River, which had formerly been part of China, was claimed as Russian and a long process of colonization began. Un- way leisurely across the landscape. Every til the end of the 19th century the Nanai ing trips for furs during the winter, while conceivable shade of green is vibrantly on bartered and lived close to nature. In the in spring and early summer they would display wherever the eye travels, occasion- late summer and early autumn months hunt for meat. Summers would see the ally dotted with specks of orange of wild lil- they would fi sh for salmon in the rivers, communities living in tipi-like tents or ies growing by the side of the road. with the whole community involved in circular huts made from birch bark, and the process of catching, preserving and in winter people would live in dugouts. I drink tea and wait at The Museum storing the fi sh. Groups of men would This life ended soon after the revolution of the Indigenous Culture of the Amur head out into the forests on long hunt- however.

Arrival at Gasya, site of the 11th century BC petroglyphs

June 2009 35 Travel

By the 20th century the majority of cough into life in a cloud of smoke. We I imagine some oligarch reclining in his Nanai had been forced from their tradi- head off upstream, still with no vodka. mansion with some of the rocks scattered tional hunting and fi shing grounds. The liberally around his garden. “As children collectivised farming of the 1930s kolk- Volodya leads me over some boulders we would come to this place because we hozes put yet further pressure on the Na- and through the reeds on the bank of the were interested in the rocks,” Dimitry says, nai. “The process of our culture dying out river pointing out the large rocks that have “but then we grew up. Usually we do not started in the 1930s,” Dimitry explains as carvings on them. Some have strange hu- visit this place. It is called Gasyan, but I can- he carries a jerry can of fuel to the boat. man faces on them, others animals and not remember what it means. Maybe our “My grandfather had four brothers in the fi sh, some recognizable others not. I care- babushka knows. We will ask her when we 1930s, one of whom was deported to fully place some cigarettes by the carvings return to the village.” The Nanai are a sha- Island. Then they were practic- to appease the spirits and hopefully en- manistic culture and sites such as Gasyan ing a traditional life. My grandfather was sure a safe journey back to Sikachi-Alyan. once played an important role in their dai- a local judge among the Nanai people. Soon Dimitry joins us. “Russian people ly lives. But, like most of their culture, this The Soviets came and asked him why he came in the early nineties in boats and aspect too has faded. “There is no shaman was not a communist and had not joined took at least half of the rocks with pictures here. They were from an older generation the kolkhoz. So he too was sent to Sakha- on them,” he says with a shake of his head. and they all died. The last one in 1973.” lin. The village started to really die out in the 1960s with the enlargement of the kolkhoz,” he says with no trace of emo- Dmitry’s daughter tion on his weather-beaten face. and babushka at home

Once the boat is prepared, Dimitry introduces Volodya, a young man in his early twenties dressed in the ubiquitous Adidas sportswear of Russia’s provincial youth. He is to take me a kilometer up- river to the site of a collection of 11th century BC petroglyphs carved on ba- salt rocks. I climb into the tin boat and Volodya pushes us out from the shore with one oar before lowering the out- board and pulling hard on the cord to start it. Nothing happens. He pulls again. Nothing. We start to drift out into the fast fl owing river. A hydrofoil that looks like some strange insect passes us by, bound for the Chinese town of Fuyuan as Volodya repeatedly tries to start the engine before giving up and rowing us back to shore, where we are met by Dimitry. “Did you bring vodka for the spirits?” he asks. “You must bring vodka and cigarettes as a gift for the spirits at the rocks.” I have no vodka, only cigarettes, which is apparently the reason why the engine won’t start. After several attempts Dimitry manages to Dmitry’s house get the ancient engine to splutter and in Sikachi-Alyan

36 June 2009 Travel

The strange shaped animals and faces of Gasya’s petroglyphs

Dimitry invites me to his house to the amount of oil products and 40 times heart, knowing that in less than a meet his babushka. It is a single-story more copper than is considered safe. generation the last remnants of the clapboard and corrugated iron aff air Nanai culture that I have just seen with an old rotting Lada sitting in front of I leave Sikachi-Alyan and head will almost certainly have been lost it with weeds growing out of the wheel back to Khabarovsk with a heavy forever. P arches and radiator. Dimitry’s 9 year-old daughter Nadia is sitting on its roof play- ing with a centipede she has found. We fi nd his 77 year-old babushka round the back, sitting in the late afternoon sun, re- gally dressed in embroidered traditional clothing. Dimitry asks her if she knows what the meaning of Gasyan is, but she cannot remember either. “We hardly have our own language now. The lan- guage is dying because our education has been in Russian,” Dimitry says rather apologetically. Of the 315 residents of Sikachi-Alyan, it seems that only the ba- bushka and two other elderly residents still speak Nanai fl uently. The younger generation only speaks Russian.

Language however is the least of their concerns. Like most marginalized com- munities, the lack of work and poor healthcare are the main issues on peo- ple’s minds. Dimitry is the eldest man in the village. He is 50 years old. The aver- age life expectancy of a man in Russia is 58. “There is no future for the Nanai,” Dimitry states bluntly. “There is no work here. The government gives people $30 per month. This is no life. The only work here is to fi nd vodka.” This, plus the fact that the river on which the Nanai rely on for fi sh has at times been horrendously polluted and this perhaps explains the shockingly young mortality rate of the male inhabitants of the village. In 1989, the water of the Amur up-river in the city of Komsomolsk contained 13 times the amount of phenols permissible, fi ve times

June 2009 37 Book Review TThehe DDestructionestruction ooff RRussiaussia

By Ian Mitchell terms of his thuggery, and arguably less What is so interesting about Mc- History’s Greatest Heist: idealistic, since Stalin at least had the gen- Meekin’s approach to the subject is his the Looting of Russia by the Bolsheviks eral goal of building up Soviet industrial primarily economic analysis — by their Sean McMeekin, Yale University Press, 2009, and defensive power. Lenin destroyed loots ye shall know them! This makes hardback pp. 302, $29.64 (amazon.com) everything and built nothing, whereas a refreshing change from tales of the Stalin at least turned the socio-econom- Gulag and the Lubyanka. No one has Day Watch ic wreckage left by the Civil War and yet made so careful a study of the Bol- Sergei Lukyanenko, Arrow Books, 2007, War Communism into a force which was shevik’s economic crimes. Yet this story paperback pp. 487, 625 rubles (Bukberi) capable, admittedly with Western help, of is central to any understanding of how turning the Nazis out of the country after the Communists killed Russia. Until the fall of Communism, the most they invaded in the early 1940s. popular version of Soviet history in It is extraordinary to discover that Marx- the West was: ‘Lenin good (-ish), Stalin Lenin did not have the apparatus of ists, who operated on the axiom that bad (no -ish)’. Communism was, many repression available to him which Stalin economics determined everything, un- felt, a benevolent concept which was had. But the viciousness and violence derstood nothing whatsoever about the promoted by the idealistic, if occasion- with which he responded to even the practical workings of an economy — any ally thuggish, Lenin, but when he died slightest challenge to his authority seems economy, whether capitalist or socialist. it was turned into an unmitigated evil to indicate that if he had had, he might They really had no ideas in their collective by Stalin, who was thuggish at all times well have used it as savagely (and coun- head other than theft and destruction, and without any redeeming idealism. ter-productively) as Stalin did. But that is plus arrest and murder for anyone who op- speculation — at least it was until Sean posed them. If McMeekin drives one point Since 1991, with the partial opening of McMeekin published the extraordinary home above all else, it is that the Bolshe- archives in Russia, it has become appar- book under review. In it he describes in vik revolution was entirely negative. There ent, through the work of historians like minute detail how Lenin and his cohorts was not a single redeeming aspect of ide- Edvard Radzinsky and Dmitri Volkogonov, destroyed Russia in order to take power alism in the make-up of any of the major that Lenin was at least as bad as Stalin, in for themselves. fi gures. Lenin was the worst of the lot.

38 June 2009 Book Review

Winston Churchill was one of the fi rst to This went from the gold reserves and Stalin, to place orders worth $10 billion appreciate this. But even he, who wanted the stock of rubles in the Central Bank, in today’s money for armaments to be ‘to strangle Bolshevism in its cradle’, was through to art treasures in public and used in the fi nal showdown with the only half right when he said of the Father private hands, and down to any items of peasants during the collectivization of of the Revolution: ‘His aim – to save the value, like clocks, icons and silver spoons, agriculture. The result was that ‘the Bol- world; his method – to blow it up.’ The fi rst which were held by individuals or the sheviks had imported enough German part of that sentence, we now know, was Church. Those family heirlooms sold on Mausers, machine-guns, and motor- nonsense. Lenin’s aim was to take pow- the streets were often disposed of simply cars to ensure that resistance to Stalin’s er, keep it and to make sure the Russian in order to pre-empt the kommissars. collectivisation off ensive in the Ukraine people paid for everything he required in could be suppressed with ease by army order to enslave them. One of the most original parts of Mc- and secret police enforcers.’ Meekin’s book is the long description McMeekin starts by describing just how of how all the money raised by selling Five months later, the Soviet Union, wealthy Russia was in 1914. Though a coun- this loot abroad was used for purchas- pleading poverty, defaulted on the bill try with considerable economic problems, ing armaments with which to fi ght for all of this, thereby getting it from and burdened with a political regime which the people from whom it was stolen. impoverished Weimar Germany eff ec- was medieval and inimical to progress, Rus- Lenin made peace with the Germans at tively for nothing, just at the time Hitler sia nonetheless had the fourth largest in- Brest–Litovsk in March 1918, then start- was emerging onto the political scene dustrial economy in the world, one which ed trading with them, initially through arguing that Bolshevism should be op- was growing at a rate of 8-9% per annum. sympathetic bankers in Stockholm. He posed rather than assisted. bought pistols, machine guns, military It was also the world’s largest exporter uniforms, artillery, aircraft, trucks, fi eld Is it not legitimate to ask whether, in of food. It had Europe’s largest gold re- telephones, signalling equipment, lo- these circumstances, the Soviets them- serves — about 1,200 metric tonnes — comotives and all the other apparatus selves did not bear a small part of the due to running a continual trade surplus. necessary to wage war on his real en- responsibility for creating the public The stock exchange was booming; agri- emy – the Russians. mood in Germany which made the Nazi culture was being modernized; and the revolution possible? arts and culture were all fl ourishing. It was Though the country was starving, the a desirable place to be. McMeekin com- Bolsheviks bought food only for them- McMeekin’s extraordinary story per- ments: ‘Russia in the last days of the tsars selves — in fact considerable quantities haps explains something of the back- was a substantial net importer of both of it. (Lenin also purchased spare parts ground to the fantasy thrillers written people and capital, a telling fact that, af- for the Rolls-Royce he used, which can by Sergei Lukyanenko. Like many post- ter 1917, would never be true again.’ now be seen in the museum at Lenin- Soviet Russian authors, Lukyanenko sets sky-Gorky.) The Red Army was the only his novels in a bleakly dystopian world In his Prologue, McMeekin poses the well-fed group of people in the country, — in this case an explicitly modern question his book aims to answer: apart from the Communist leadership. Moscow — where everyone in power is The war, McMeekin says, was essentially either a thief, a thug or someone with ‘All this wealth taken together was the a war for control of the food supply so supernatural powers of the sort which national patrimony of centuries… The riv- that once the gold, roubles, art-works, are as far removed from ‘street’ reality eting scenes of the Revolution, which saw jewellery and church silver ran out, the of the other characters as the worlds of desperate Russians selling priceless jew- Communists could still feed themselves, Lenin and Stalin were from the life of the els and family heirlooms for food and fuel courtesy of the now enslaved peasantry. toiling masses in the workers’ paradise. to survive the winter, would be repeated again after the collapse of Communism in By this stage, even Lenin’s original Lukyanenko stared writing for money 1991 — with one crucial diff erence. At the power base in the urban factories had when he found that, after the collapse of century’s end, in a crude measure of how largely deserted him. McMeekin says Communism, he could not make a living badly the Bolsheviks had beggared the that by the winter of 1919-20 only 2 per- as a child psychiatrist. Many critics think country, Russia’s dispossessed hawked cent of industrial laborers still belonged his experiences at the time helped to not expensive jewellery, but ragged mit- to the Bolshevik Party. form his dark artistic vision. After pub- tens and small handfuls of vegetables lishing several books in the science-fi c- raised on dacha plots. It was an extraordi- Why did the Germans co-operate? They tion and fantasy genres, he struck gold nary fall: from world-famous opulence to did so because, McMeekin says, ‘they in 2004 when his book Night Watch, the subsistence agriculture in only seventy- were blinded by anti-Allied rage and im- predecessor of Day Watch, was made fi ve years. How did it happen?’ perial greed.’ They had a dream of colo- in to a fi lm. It grossed over $16 million nizing Russia with the aid of the Bolshe- in Russia, a record at the time, and was The short answer is that the Bolsheviks viks. Only Allied victory on the Western later released in America. stole everything, then squandered it on Front prevented that from happening. armaments and their own comfort. Two years later, Day Watch was pub- Even after defeat, the Germans con- lished in an English translation and a Lenin established a system whereby tinued helping the Bolsheviks, right up year ago, the fi lm version was released every item of value in the country was to 1931. In that year, their government by Fox Searchlight. It, too, has become a confi scated without compensation. allowed the Soviet Union, now ruled by best-seller. P

June 2009 39 Restaurant Review

Poster Child text by Charles Borden, trend in Moscow, though the norm in photos by Maria Savelieva the West – the habit in Moscow has been to hide both restaurants and customers, The restaurant openings that had and even restaurants that had windows been queued up for Moscow pre-crisis closed them off behind heavy curtains. are fi nally thinning out. On recommen- From the door, Alioli appeared pleasant, dation we decided to try one of the last, if empty, and even the modern style win- Alioli. Billed as a Spanish/tapas restau- dow graphics would lead one to believe rant, it is on Neglinaya just up the street that we might be in for a pleasant meal. from the Ararat Park Hyatt hotel, and near the Bolshoi Theater and Lubyanka. Directly past the door, Alioli’s modest- Since Passport publisher John Ortega sized dining area has a subdued inte- was still raving about the tapas he en- rior, amply lit with modern furnishings joyed on a recent trip to Barcelona, and and a bar spread across the very back. Moscow has few if any tapas bars, Alioli The waiting staff was friendly and help- was an easy sell. ful, and presented us with a four-page English menu: appetizers, salads, hot We had warmed up at a tasting of Gali- snacks, soups, paellas, hot fi sh and sea- cian wines put on by the commercial of- food dishes and meat dishes. The tapas fi ce of the Spanish embassy and arrived is laid out at the bar, with a chalkboard early on a Wednesday evening. The entry specialty menu. to Alioli is directly off the street, bright with a view through a wall of tall windows So far so good, but Alioli is a Spanish that beckons passersby. This is a new restaurant – where were the scents of

40 June 2009 Restaurant Review

hot olive oil, saff ron, mint and other wild soup with cheese – 250 rubles). I went intended. In the case of Alioli, it appears spices, and grilled meats and fi sh? And to the bar and picked an assortment that the foreign chef never made it to where was the Spanish chef, the master of tapas to share at the table (sold by Moscow and that the current staff has of Catalonian, Andalusian or Valencian weight – per 100 grams) and a plate of never been near real Spanish food. cuisine? On inquiry, it appears there is jamón serrano (sold by weight – per 50 none at Alioli. The assistant manager on grams) was also sent over. The elimination of the expensive for- duty even had to call the absent man- eign chef within a few months of open- ager just to get permission to give us For a restaurant review we look for ing has been a common occurrence the chef’s name. adjectives to describe each of the at Moscow restaurants, once manage- dishes and wine, and also at Passport ment believes that the newly trained As usual we ordered a range of dishes we also normally prefer to say nothing domestic cooks will be adequate. At to share: Alcachofi tas Crujentes con Lac- if unable to say anything good. I am Japanese and sushi restaurants in Mos- as de Iberica (fried eggs with crunchy afraid we now break the second princi- cow, the belief that form means sub- artichokes and jamon – 340 rubles), Pa- ple – with few exceptions the principle stance is driven to an extreme where tatas Panadera con Iberico de Guijuelo descriptor that could be used for the Central Asian cooks and waitresses take y Huevo Roto (fried egg, potato chips food was “forgettable”, the exceptions the place of Japanese simply because and jamon served with green sauce being, in the case of the paella (which they look Asian. – 300 rubles), Arroz de Huerta (paella we dubbed “plov”, a Soviet Central with seasonal vegetables – 310 rubles), Asian rice dish) and some of the tapas It would be great to have a good Arroz con Gambas y Trigueros (paella dishes – “memorable for poor imita- Spanish/tapas restaurant in Moscow, with red prawns and green asparagus tion” of the Spanish originals. The one and although the location and premises – 490 rubles), Surtido de Carnas a la highlight of the evening was the red for Alioli are good, this isn’t it (yet). In- Plancha (assorted grilled meat with let- wine, Marques de Vitoria Tinto Crianza stead, Alioli is a kind of poster child for tuce leaves and green oil – 730 rubles), 2002 (2140 rubles), which was very de- some of the problems that Moscow res- and Solomillo de Ternera con Salsa de lightful and balanced. taurant culture exhibits where form is Queso (grilled veal fi llet with potatoes, emphasized over substance and name asparagus and piquant cheese sauce The kind supposition would be that over reality. P – 650 rubles). perhaps the owners decided budget cuts were in order after the crisis hit, Alioli To check the soups, I also ordered so the authentic chef was cut out – the Ulitsa Neglinaya, 8 Sopa de Expinacas con Queso (spinach less kind that a Spanish chef was never Tel: +7 (495) 621-9080

June 2009 41 Restaurant Review

Night Flight

Really Does Have a Restaurant text Charles W. Borden, photos Maria Savelieva

There were more than a few expres- sions of surprise a year ago when Night Flight appeared on a list that I prepared of top 30 Moscow restaurants. “Does Night Flight have a restaurant?” was the usual question. But despite the “Must be Seen to Believe” reputation that follows the nightclub, the separate Night Flight restaurant is one of the best in town. Under Swedish ownership and manage- ment for more than 18 years now, the Night Flight restaurant is the place to fi nd elk carpaccio, grilled steak and genuine Swedish meatballs prepared by Swedish chef Michael Willuhn.

42 June 2009 Restaurant Review

At the invitation of manager Toby for about 11 years including six years in Domert, Passport publisher John Ortega Vladivostok. He described Night Flight and I decided to stop by to check out the at a “meat restaurant with experimental latest menu. The prominent entrance to starters,” carefully avoiding the trendy Night Flight is on the west side of Tver- “fusion” label. Apparently the Swedish skaya just south of the boulevard ring. owners source the meat themselves Restaurant guests bypass the 1100 ruble from their home country and ship di- nightclub entrance fee and are ushered rectly to Night Flight and Scandinavia. to the separate second fl oor dining, a We decided to let the chef select our cozy, open room with big windows over- menu for the evening. looking Tverskaya street below. Since the nightclub doesn’t open until 11pm, First out was a selection of three it’s quiet when we arrive at 6:30 pm. tasters, presented together: Swed- ish Elk (carpaccio) with Cheese Fritter The Swedish business group that owns and Truffl e Vinaigrette (250r), Smoked Night Flight and Scandinavia up the Salmon(250r), and Sashimi Blackened street were invited to open a nightclub Tuna in Thai Spices with a Truffl e Puree in Moscow during the waning days of (280r). The burgundy disks of near paper the Soviet Union. They were shown sev- thin elk were a pleasant new taste, with eral possible locations and in October a distinctive but not gamey, which nice- 1991, Night Flight opened in the space ly contrasted the crisp globe-shaped formerly occupied by Café Morojhen- fritter fi lled with sharp fl avored cheese. noye Sever (North Ice Cream Café). Café Night Flight cold smokes its Norwegian Sever served delicious ice cream that is salmon on the premises, and in this still fondly remembered by those who case served as a cube bearing a light stood in line to get in at the time. The res- and pleasant smoke and garnished with taurant opened about a year later, and a tad of dill. The tuna is rolled in spices though still overshadowed by the night- before a light sear, very fresh. club, it has served a Swedish-continental menu ever since. Its classic “Planksteak” Next out was a starter of Shrimp fi llet of beef served on oak (1400r) has with Mango, Avocado and Glass Noodle been on the menu since day one. (750r), with shrimp presented on a long skewer laid over the spicy, sweet glass The menu is presented on a large for- noodles. The shrimp were excellent mat card with English on one side, Rus- and the noodles, to my taste, pleasantly sian on the other. One of the fi rst things spiced, sharper than the toned down we noticed is that virtually all items have Asian that is often served in Moscow three possible serving sizes – “tasting,” restaurants to please Russian palettes. “starter,” and “main course” – a great in- novation. In addition to Swedish-conti- The “Planksteak” main course was nental, there are a number of Asian and an ample, very tender chunk of beef Russian items listed. laid as promised on a dark wood plank with a dab of sweet ginger and roasted The separate wine list has a broad se- rosettes of potato puree on the side. lection of wines by the glass ranging from The steak ranks up there with the best an Australian Hardy’s VR Chardonnay at in Moscow. The fi nale was a tasty if not 350 rubles to a California Kendell Jack- perfect fi nish Crème Brule Cacao (290r) son Cabernet Sauvignon at 540 rubles. garnished with a few fresh berries. For wines by the bottle, there are about four pages of a global range of wines. Al- We decided to forego the free entry to though some are very expensive, there the nightclub that comes with a meal, but are numerous good wines in the range we promised to return for the next Pass- from 1500 to 3000 rubles. We might rec- port magazine wine tasting. I have my eye ommend the white New Zealand Villa on a number of items on the menu yet Maria Marlboro Sauvignon Blanc (1990r) untried: salmon souffl é, Jerusalem arti- or Marco Felluga Pinot Grigio (2800 choke soup, Kachatka crab roll, and even rubles), or red South African Robertson the Swedish meatballs… P Winery Shiraz (1520r) or Spanish Beronia Reserve Rioja (which we tried). Night Flight Ulitsa Tverskaya 17 Though a relative newcomer to Mos- Tel. +7 495 629 4165 cow, Chef Willuhn has worked in Russia www.nightfl ight.ru

June 2009 43 Wine Tasting People’s Bordeaux text by Charles Borden other wine region. Even the little corner Moscow-born wine writer Alexis Lich- Last month we sampled wines from market near my home has a shelf with ine. Négociants buy grapes or wines fi ve of the most famous (and expensive) about 20% Bordeaux. This is not surpris- from various estates and blend them to châteaus of Bordeaux – the “fi rst growth” ing given that the region is the world’s bottle under their own label. châteaus that were classifi ed in 1855. second largest wine producer and the Though this rating system is 150-years longstanding Russia fascination with The fi rst tip for purchasing wines in old these châteaus still make very highly French wines. Bordeaux wines are most- Moscow is to check the importer listed rated wines. However, we learned some ly red (called claret), and the appellation on the back label, though you may need hard lessons about transport, care and rules under which they are produced a magnifying glass to read the print. Al- handling of these delicate jewels to and require that they are primarily blends of though there are dozens of importers, in the rough Russian environment – the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Caber- several stand out that have a good his- wines all scored poorly with our panel. net Franc grapes. Sauternes is a specialty tory of reliable off erings and a success- We promised to return with a review white dessert wine from the region. ful track record. Even if you don’t know of some more “democratic” Bordeaux much about the winery, a wine brought wines on Moscow’s shelves. Most Bordeaux wines are simply la- in by one of these importers is more beled Bordeaux and are basic table likely to prove a successful pick. A visit to a supermarket shows that wines, made from grapes from any area there appear to be a greater variety of of the region. Wines labeled Bordeaux We rank DP Trade with its Magnum Bordeaux wines in Moscow than any Supérieur are produced under a stricter and Decanter shops, and Simple Wines quality regime. Greater restrictions ap- with Grand Cru shops at the top. Other ply to wines with AOC designation from reliable importers are Svarog from St. various district names such as Saint- Petersburg and MBG Wine Group with Emilion, Entre-Deux-Mers or Saint-Es- its L’Intendant wine boutique on Ku- tèphe and they must be made from tuzovsky Prospekt. Each importer has grapes of that district. Some of the more its own exclusive import relationships renowned are Pauillac, Margaux, Médoc with various wine producers around the and Haut-Médoc. More attention is paid world. Although it is diffi cult for the im- to the vintage year in Bordeaux than porter to control storage conditions at a most wine regions. The Bordeaux vin- supermarket or corner shop, one could tage of 2005, 2003 and 2000 are gener- expect that wines in the importer’s shop ally considered the best of recent years. have had reasonable care.

Most Bordeaux wines are made at More so than most regions, Bordeaux one of about 9,000 châteaus but some wines are expensive in Russia and you are bottled by wine merchants (négo- should expect to pay two or three times ciants) such as Cordier and the famous, US retail prices. The selection is dizzy-

Importer Producer District Year* Price (RUR) Parker Wine Spectator White 1 K Bel Air Perponcher Bordeaux Supérieur AOC 2007 645 2DP Château Carbonnieux Blanc Graves / Pessac-Leognan 2006 4380 91 -- Red 1 K Bel Air Perponcher Bordeaux Supérieur AOC 2006 741 86 2MBG Château La Cardonne Medoc AOC 2001 1150 87 3MBG Château Croix Mouton Bordeaux Supérieur AOC 2005 1575 89 86 4DP Château Carbonnieux Graves / Pessac-Leognan 2004 3740 90 87 5 DP Domaine de Chevalier Graves / Pessac-Leognan 2004 3880 90 92 6 DP Domaine De L’Eglise Pomerol 2003 3950 88 90 7DP Château Brane-Cantenac Margaux 2003/2001 5970/5170 91/89 90/91 8DP Château Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc 2005/2003 5970/6110 91/94 92/88

*Ratings vary considerably from year to year. The ratings and recommendation are only for this particular year. DP- Magnum and Decanter shops K – Kauff man shops MBG – Intendant shop

44 June 2009 Wine Tasting ing with hundreds of château names: rooms prepared with bacon and grape DP Trade alone has more than 100 and juice). The land and waters of Bordeaux MBG has more than 40. Bordeaux wine yield Pauillac lamb, fresh local Arcachon labels tend to be simple and traditional gravette oysters, sturgeon caviar from with little artistic liberty, and this com- the Gironde estuary, duck or goose foie plicates shopping and blurs visual dis- gras from Landes, black Périgord truffl es tinction. There is no “shopping with the and Reine Blanche du Blayais (white as- eyes” with Bordeaux wines. paragus). Fishermen also take cod, eel, sturgeon, sole, lobster and scallops from For this issue, we have resumed our the estuary and ocean. St. Emilion al- recent systematic quest for value by con- mond macaroons and Cannelles de Bor- ducting a desktop review of wines avail- deaux (a small fl uted rum and vanilla able in the market. We fi rst extracted cake) are local sweets. For fresh oysters a list of wines that appear on importer try the oyster restaurants in Cape Ferret price lists and then checked the ratings overlooking the Bassin d’Archachon and with the three top wine rating services: Atlantic, 70 kilometers to the west. P Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Stephen Tanzer’s Interna- DP Trade Shops tional Wine Cellar. Once we have worked Decanter, Bol. Polyanka 30, the list down to the apparent top raters, Tel: +7 (495) 238-3808 we check shelf prices and availability. Magnum, Kutuzovsky Prospekt 24, Tel: Most of the Bordeaux wines listed are +7 (495) 937-6515 still budget busters and for special occa- Magnum, Ul. Plyuschkina 20, sions. In the lower price range, a Chilean Tel: +7 (495) 775-0674 or Australian wine is likely to be much better value and more satisfying. Vinum, Prechistenka 40/2, Tel: +7 (495) 775-2305 The Wines Website: www.wine-dp-trade.ru A Visit to Bordeaux E-mail: [email protected] Bordeaux, located on France’s west coast at the head of the estuary of the Gironde, is well worth a wine and lovers’ L’Intendant pilgrimage. If you can qualify as a special- Kutuzovsky Prospekt 22, ist, every odd year Bordeaux hosts one Tel: +7 (499) 249-6114 of the world’s largest industry wine ex- Website: www.mbg-wine.ru/bootique/ hibitions for importers, wholesalers and retailers, VinExpo – this year from June Grand Cru Shops – several in 21 to 25. In even years Bordeaux holds one of the world’s largest wine trade ex- Moscow including: hibitions, which focuses on technology Novinsky Passage, Novinsky Bulvar 31, and equipment for winery and vineyard Tel: +7 (495) 775-5553 operators. The TGV train takes you to Website: www.grandcru.ru Bordeaux in just three hours from Paris E-mail: [email protected] and there are several trains a day direct from Charles de Gaulle Airport. Kollektsiya Vin – several in A visitor to Bordeaux should fi rst stop at Moscow including: the 18th century building that is home to Kutuzovsky Prospekt 18, the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux for a two- Tel: +7 (499) 243-2008 hour tasting course of the region’s mag- Website: www.vine.ru nifi cent wines. Top Bordeaux wine cellars are L’Intendant near the Grand Theatre, Les Caves d’Ausone and Le Bô Bar. Kauff man Shops Kutuzovsky Prospekt 22, Bordeaux regional food dishes feature Tel: +7 (495) 243-2238 Bordelaise sauce made with red wine, Ul. Kuznetsky Most 3, shallot and bone marrow, perfect with a Tel: +7 (495) 624-0464 grilled entrecote of Aquitaine beef, Almis Ul. Ostojhenka 27, de Palombe (wood pigeon in wine Tel: +7 (495) 291-3671 sauce), Lamproie au Pomerol (lamprey Website: www.whitehall.ru prepared with red wine and chocolate) E-mail: [email protected] and Cèpes à la Périgourdine (cep mush-

June 2009 45 Wine & Dine Listings

NOTE: INDUS Soviet-era Intourist Hotel. M. Mezhdunarodnaya **indicates Passport Magazine Top 10 ”Elitny” modern Indian restaurant with 3 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 225-8888 www.navarros.ru Restaurants 2009. Chivas bar on the fi rst fl oor. M. Okhotny Ryad OLD HAVANA 15 Plotnikov Pereulok, (499) 252-7979 AMERICAN KAI RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE An amazing place, with a stunning **CORREA’S M. Smolenskaya Contemporary French cuisine with Brazilian tableside show nightly from Isaac Correa is a master of New an Asian touch at Swissotel Krasnye Thursday to Saturday. The food is good, American comfort food at his several COFFEE AND PASTRIES Holmy. but the highlight is the unbelievable Moscow locations. Luscious desserts. COFFEE BEAN 52/6 Kosmodamianskaya Nab, 221-5358 three-hour extravaganza with about two Great for a business lunch or takeout. Jerry Ruditser opened the fi rst coff ee M. Paveletskaya dozen dancers and capoiera performers. Smoke-free. shops in Moscow, and still serves 28 Ulitsa Talalikhina, 723-1656 SCANDINAVIA 7 Ulitsa Gasheka, 789-9654 the best coff ee. Smoke-free. Several M. Proletarskaya locations. The summer cafe is one of Moscow’s main M. Mayakovskaya 56 Leningradsky Prospekt, 742-3755 after work meeting venues. Excellent www.old-havana.ru www.correas.ru www.coff eebean.ru Scandinavian and continental menu. 19 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 937-5630 ITALIAN STARLITE DINER COFFEE MANIA **SEMIFREDDO MULINNAZO M. Pushkinskaya Paul O’Brien’s ‘50s-style American The Coff ee Mania next to the Moscow Sicilian chef Nino Graziano dishes up Starlite Diners not only have the best Conservatory is a popular daytime www.scandinavia.ru the best of Sicily and the Mediterranean traditional American breakfasts, informal business venue. Open 24 SKY LOUNGE with the help of his personal grill out lunches, and dinners in town, they hours. Several locations. front. Huge Italian wine list. draw a daily crowd for early morning 13 Ulitsa Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 775-5188, Dining on the roof of the Russian 2 Rossolimo Ulitsa, (499) 766-4646 business and lunchtime business 775-4310 Academy of Sciences off ers guests meetings. Open 24 hours. Four unparalleled views of the city. M. Park Kultury locations. M. Arbatskaya, Biblioteka im. Lenina 32a Leninsky Prospekt, 915-1042, www.semifreddo-restaurant.com 938-5775 16 Ul. Bolshaya Sadovaya, 650-0246 www.coff feemania.ru **MARIO M. Leninsky Prospekt M. Mayakovskaya STARBUCKS Delightful elegance and style with the www.skylounge.ru 9a Ul. Korovy Val, 959-8919 Starbucks arrived in late 2007 and best-quality Italian dishes. already has too many shops (16) to list. VANIL Open noon-last guest. M. Oktyabrskaya starbuckscoff ee.ru Hip French and Japanese near Christ 17 Ulitsa Klimashkina, 253-6505 6 Prospekt Vernadskovo, 783-4037 VOLKONSKY PEKARNYA- the Savior Cathedral. M. Barrikadnaya M. Universitet 1 Ulitsa Ostozhenka, 202-3341 KONDITERSKAYA BOCCACINO www.starlite.ru M. Kropotkinskaya The coff ee service at this bakery takes Quiet elegant Italian and pizza. A nice AMERICAN BAR & GRILL second place to its fabulous French- eng.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/ date venue without extravagant prices. style baked goods. Smoke-free. 7 Strastnoi Bulvar, 299-7359 Listed here for its status as a Moscow 2/46 Bolshoi Sadovaya VOGUE CAFE veteran, the American Bar & Grill still Elegant, trendy partnership with Vogue M. Pushkinskaya does good hamburgers, steaks, bacon M. Mayakovskaya magazine. CASTA DIVA & eggs and more. Open 24 hours. 7/9 Ul. Kuznetsky Most, 623-1701 2/1 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ul, 250- EUROPEAN Great Italian and pizza to die for with 9525 **CARRE BLANC M. Kuznetsky Most award-winning Italian pizza chef. Try M. Mayakovskaya Moscow’s top French restaurant. Try the http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/ the Black Truffl e Pizza. bistro and weekend brunch. restaurants/ 26 Tverskoi Bulvar, 651-8181 ambar.rosinter.com 9/2 Ul. Seleznevskaya, 258-4403 M. Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya BEAVERS M. Novoslobodskaya FUSION www.castadiva.ru Way down south (across from John **NE DALNY VOSTOK www.carreblanc.ru CIPOLLINO Ortega’s Fashion Mart), American Passport’s 2009 number one Moscow proprietor and drinks importer Robert *NEW* BLACKBERRY restaurant. Chef Glen Ballis turns out Coff ee-and cream-colored stylish Greco serves some family recipes from Elegant but comfortable with an fabulous crab specialties, Asian, grill, Italian cafe a stone’s throw from Christ back home. Pizza, wings, salads, steaks eclectic international menu – Asian, salads. Come by when they bring in a the Savior Cathedral. and other favorites. Russian, Italian, sushi and other big tuna. “Classny.” 7 Soimonovsky Proyezd, 695-2936, 171 Ulitsa Lyublinskaya, 783-9184 cuisines. 15 Tverskoy Bulvar 695-2950 M. Marino 10 Academic Sakharov Prospekt, 694-0641, 694-0154 M. Kropotkinskaya 926-1640, 926-1645 www.beavers.ru M .Tverskaya www.cipollino.ru M. Chistiye Prudy HARD ROCK CAFÉ http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/ *NEW* BOLSHOI restaurants/ JAPANESE The Moscow HRC has a great location **NOBU on the Old Arbat with a nice summer The latest high-end Novikov restaurant. **GQ BAR terrace overlooking the busy Modern in a Ralph Lauren kind of way, The Moscow branch of the legendary pedestrian mall. The usual HRC menu with a continental-Russian menu. A warm, active hang-out for the elite Nobu is now open on Bolshaya and rock paraphernalia. 3/6 Ulitsa Petrovka, 789-8652 just up from the Kempinski Baltschug Dmitrovka. Nobu moves directly to 44 Stary Arbat, 205-8335 Hotel. Partnership with GQ magazine. Passport’s Moscow top 10 list. M. Kuznetsky Most 5 Ulitsa Baltschug, 956-7775 20 Bolshaya Dimitrovka, 645-3191 M. Smolenskaya eng.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/ M. Novokuznetskaya M. Okhotny Ryad www.hardrock.com CAFE DES ARTISTES eng.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/ www.noburestaurants.ru Restaurant and bar off ers fi ne European SOHO ROOMS ICHIBAN BOSHI ASIAN cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere, often **TURANDOT with recent art on the walls of the Chef Laura Bridge mixes it up at High-quality, aff ordable Japanese with upstairs room. this trendy restaurant-club along cool ambience. Several locations. Fabulous Asian food in a palatial the embankment near Novodivichy and exquisite setting – the owners 5/6 Kamergersky Pereulok, 692-4042 22 Krasnaya Presnya Ulitsa, Monastery. (499) 255-0909 reportedly spent a mid-eight figure M. Teatralnaya 12 Savinnskaya Nab., 988-7474 amount on the fitout including a two M. Krasnopresnenskaya www.artistico.ru M. Sportivnaya million dollar dim-sum kitchen. Try 50 Ulitsa Bolshaya Yakimanka the Wasabi shrimp. ELSE CLUB www.sohorooms.com M. Polyanka 26/5 Tverskoi Bulvar, 739-0011 A small jewel next to the Pokrovsky M. Tverskaya,Pushkinskya Hills development and the Anglo- HEALTHY www.ichiban.ru www.turandotpalace.ru American School and complement the JAGGANATH CAFÉ SUMOSAN neighboring extravagant health spa. A simple but excellent vegetarian BLUE ELEPHANT 5 Ivankovskoye Shosse, 234-4444 Located in the Radisson SAS hotel, we buff et with an eclectic mix of Asian and have heard from many that Sumosan Thai cuisine with impeccable service in www.elseclub.ru other dishes. has Moscow’s freshest and best sushi an elegant royal setting. Try the Royal GALEREYA 11 Kuznetsky Most, 628-3580 but this naturally comes at a cost. Thai Platter. 2 Ploschad Evropy, 941-8020 31 Novinsky Bulvar, 580-7757 Trendy, lavish and expensive. The place M. Kuznetsky Most M. Kievskaya M. Barrikadnaya to see and be seen. www.jagannath.ru 27 Ulitsa Petrovka, 937-4544 TSVETENIYE SAKURY www.blueelephant.com LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN M. Pushkinskaya Completely new restaurant concept in BUDDIES CAFE Simple and healthy food and bakery eng.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/ at the Moscow extension of an Moscow based on the combination of No frills but very expat friendly traditional and contemporary Japanese GRAND ALEXANDER international chain. Delivery. Multiple – Szechuan, Thai, or Vietnamese from locations. cuisine. Ancient recipes are joined by Singaporean Kelvin Pang. Sports bar. Named after poet Alexander Pushkin, 5/6 Kamergerski Pereulok, 649-7050 recent innovations. 12/8 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 694-0229 this opulent restaurant at the Marriott 7 Ulitsa Krasina, 506-0033 www.lpq.ru/ M. Tverskaya,Pushkinskya Grand Hotel is one of Moscow’s top M. Mayakovskaya French-European restaurants. DARBAR 26 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 937-0000 LATIN AMERICAN SEIJI **NAVARRO’S BAR & GRILL Hidden away in the Soviet relic Sputnik M. Tverskaya One of the few Moscow sushi Hotel, veteran expats say it’s the El Salvador born chef-owner Yuri restaurants that actually has a Japanese city’s best Indian. In addition to the JEROBOAM Navarro excels at everything from tapas chef, even a celebrity chef – Seiji usual north Indian fare, Darbar has an Ritz-Carlton’s Jeroboam, under the to eclectic Peruvian-Mediterranean Kusano, who also set up the O2 Lounge extensive south Indian menu. stewardship of celebrity German chef fusion, seafood to grilled meat. One of at the Ritz-Carlton. 38 Leninsky Prospekt, 930-2365 Heinz Winkler, off ers his “la Cuisine Moscow’s few chef-owned restaurants. 5/2 Komsomolsky Prospekt, 246-7624 M. Leninsky Prospekt Vitale” in the new building that 23 Shmitovsky Proezd, 259-3791 M. Park Kultury replaced the eyesore that was the

46 June 2009 Wine & Dine Listings

CAUCASUS The Central House of Writers’ opulent KARMA BAR PAPA’S ARARAT Russian-French restaurant is located One of the most popular night-clubs in Master night spot host Doug Steele is in the building with the same name. town. Eastern-inspired interior, hookahs, back, at Papa’s tucked in the basement A little corner of Armenia right in the A memorable, top-notch meal in center of Moscow at the Ararat Park and pan-Asian cuisine. Latin American below the Johnny the Fat Boy Pizzeria, luxurious surroundings. dancing, Thursday-Saturday, 21:00- Papa features live music and lots of Hyatt. Cozy atmosphere and spicy 50 Povarskaya Ul, 290-1589 Armenian fare. All ingredients delivered midnight. Every Saturday, the amazing sweaty young bodies. straight from Armenia including fi ne M. Barrikadnaya Show Girls night. Every Sunday 12:00- 2 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, 755-9554 Armenian brandies. YOLKI-PALKI 6:00 – R`n`B and hip-hop party night. M. Kitai-Gorod 3 Pushechnaya Ulitsa, 624-5633 4 Neglinnaya Ulitsa, 783-1234 A Russian chain that serves a great PROPAGANDA M. Kuznetsky Most M. Teatralnaya, Kuznetsky Most selection of typical Russian specialties One of the best and oldest clubs in BAGRATIONI at modest prices. Many locations. www.karma-bar.ru Moscow. At midnight all dining tables 23 Bolshaya Dmitrovka, 200-0965 Great Georgian food and KRYSHA MIRA are taken off and party usually begins. entertainment in a stylish mansion near M. Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya The club has a reputation of being a Stylish and delicious lunches, salads Novodivichy Monastery and the Korean http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/ most closed place. Rich clubbers and and other simple but unforgettable Embassy. restaurants/ beauties will do anything just to get in, snacks. House, techno, minimal, disco. 1/7 Spartakovskaya Ploshchad, 267- so every Friday and Saturday they stand Face control 6881, 266-0531 SEAFOOD in line all night long asking face control Open: noon-06:00 M. Baumanskaya FILIMONOVA & YANKEL to let them in. 7, Bolshoi Zlatoustinsky Pereulok, Face control BARASHKA You will fi nd an outlet near many of the 624-5732 Goodman Steakhouses. Very fresh fi sh Open 23:00-06:00 Our Azerbaijanian friends swear it’s M. Kitai-Gorod and a straightforward menu. Several 2/3 Tarasa Shevchenko Naberezhnaya, the best Azeri restaurant in town. locations. TOCHKA Contemporary updates. 23 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 223-0707 203-6008, 203-6556 20/1 Petrovka Ulitsa, 200-4714 Open Monday-Sunday, 18:00-06:00 M. Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya M. Kievskaya M. Kuznetsky Most 6 Leninsky Prospekt, Bldg. 7, 737-7666 www.fi shhouse.ru B2 CLUB 21/1 Novy Arbat M. Oktyabrskaya LA MAREE 4 bars, sushi bar, concert hall for 800 M. Arbatskaya people. Resonable prices. SAKHAR La Maree is Moscow’s number http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/ one seafood restaurant, built by Open daily noon-06:00 Open Tues.-Thurs. 20:00-06:00, Fri. restaurants/ Tunisian Mehdi Douss, owner of 8 Bolshaya Sadovaya Ul., 650-9918 12:00-6:00, Sat. 20:00-07:00. BELOYE SOLNTSE PUSTYNI Moscow’s leading fresh seafood 23/25 Bolshoi Sukharevsky Pereulok, importer. M. Marksistskaya, Tretyakovslaya Named after White Desert Sun, one of 28/2 Ulitsa Petrovka, 694-0930 NIGHT FLIGHT 207-2838 the USSR’s favorite fi lms. An eclectic Central Asian menu that includes www.la-maree.ru If you don’t know about Night Flight M. Sukharevskaya Azerbaijan and Uzbek cuisine. – ask somebody. CENTRAL HOUSE OF ARCHITECTS 29 Ul. Neglinnaya, 625-2596, 200-6836 STEAKS Open 18:00-05:00 Face control. Open Mon.-Sat. 24:00- **BEEF BAR M. Kuznetsky Most, Teatralnaya 17 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 629-4165 12:00. http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/ The latest branch of the Monte Carlo hotspot serves top cuts of the fi nest www.nightfl ight.ru 7 Granatny Pereulok, 290-3249 imported beef: American, Australian, M. Mayakovskaya M. Tretyakovskaya RUSSIAN Dutch and French. Overlooks the river **CAFE PUSHKIN across from the House of Artists. NOTE: A Moscow classic serving upmarket 13 Prechistinskaya Nab., 982-5553 For restaurants with multiple locations the most popular location is given – see the website for others. All phone numbers have city code 495 unless otherwise indicated. Reservations Russian cuisine in a lavish, 19th-century M. Park Kultury suggested for most restaurants. setting. Bustling, ground-fl oor dining hall and a more sophisticated (and www.beefbar.com pricier) experience upstairs. Reservation EL GAUCHO essential. True Argentine menu. THE place for 26a Tverskoi Bulvar, 739-0033 charcoal-grilled meats and fi sh. M. Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya 4 Ul. Sadovaya-Triumfalnaya, 699-7974 GODUNOV M. Mayakovskaya For real lovers of all things Russian, 6/13 Ul. Zatsepsky Val, 953-2876 including traditional Russian dancing, M. Paveletskaya rivers of vodka and plates stacked with food in the Tsar’s chambers from the 3 Bolshoi Kozlovsky Pereulok, 623-1098 time of Boris Godunov. M. Krasniye Vorota 5 Teatralnaya Ploshchad, 698-5609 www.elgaucho.ru M. Teatralnaya GOODMAN *NEW* GUSYATNIKOFF Moscow’s premium steak house The latest VIP Russian restaurant in an chain. Crisis menu added. Numerous 18th century estate. locations. 2a Ulitsa Aleksandra Solzhenitsyna 23 Tverskaya Ulitsa, 775-9888 M. Taganskaya M. Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya http://eng.novikovgroup.ru/ www.goodman.ru restaurants/ POLO CLUB NA MELNITSE Dining at its fi nest at the Marriott Homemade cuisine – kvas, mors, Aurora. Features American prime beef vodka, pickles. Russian style with and steaks. plenty of wood. The food is far from Ulitsa Petrovka 11/20, 937-1024 cheap, but the portions are enormous: it’s like being fed by an overzealous M. Kuznetsky Most babushka. TORRO GRILL 7 Tverskoi Bulvar, 290-3737 The focus is on the best mid-priced M. Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya meat in Moscow. Wine Bar. Several 24 Sadovo-Spasskaya Ulitsa, 625-8890, locations. 625-8753 6 Prospekt Vernadskogo, 775-4503 M. Krasniye Vorota M. Universitet www.namelnitse.ru www.torrogrill.ru OBLOMOV BARS AND CLUBS Authentic Russian cuisine in a restored BOOZE PUB 19th-century mansion. English-style pub with real British beer 5 Monetchikovskyi Pereulok, 953-6828 and original cocktails. M. Dobryninskaya Daily from 5 a.m. to noon: ONE RED SQUARE English breakfast for only 100 rubles. The menu features lavish, centuries- Weekdays from 12:00 to 17:00. old recipes in the State Historical Museum on Red Square. Expect Business lunch from 140 rubles and cream-laden meat dishes with fruit- 35% menu discount. Sport matches on based sauces and live folk music. the big screen. 1 Krasnaya Ploshchad, 625-3600, 5 Potapovsky Pereulok, Bldg. 2, 621 692-1196 4717 M. Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya M. Chistiye Prudy www.redsquare.ru www.boozebub.ru TSDL

June 2009 47 Out&About

British Council Donates Books to na Genieva, director of the library, men- information about the arts in the UK,” the Library for Foreign Literature tioned that during a meeting with Sergey where it has been for some 17 years. Mironov, the Chairman of the Federa- She stressed that learning English to an tion Council, Mironov commented: “we ever higher level means access to good have been absolutely overwhelmed and exciting materials and access to the with letters in connection with the Brit- internet, “and I am glad to see that you ish Council, from teachers, students and have all of this around you now.” others from all over the country who are demanding that ‘we return to us our Brit- Various Russian teachers and read- ish Council.’” Genieva thanked the most ers made short and moving speeches important people whom she stressed expressing their gratitude to the Brit- are the users and the readers, for their ish Council for supplying reading and UK Ambassador Jane Pringle opening support of the library. learning materials, which one teacher the library described as having “changed my life”. UK Ambassador Anne Pringle, then The opening ceremony was attended On May 15, a ceremony was held in the proceeded to open the library. The am- by approximately fi fty people. Library for Foreign Languages (VGIBL) to bassador thanked the proprietors of mark the donation of a large number of the library building for hosting the Brit- Library for Foreign Literature, Nikoloy- British Council books & materials to the ish Council collection, “a treasure trove amskaya 1, Moscow 109189, tel: (495) 915- library. In her opening remarks, Ekateri- of books, teaching materials, fi lms and 3669/ 915-3503

Anglo-American School’s Mosсow Viennese Ball

The AAS Moscow Spring Gala is a popular annual event in Moscow’s ex- pat community. This year it was held on May 2 in the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The Ritz-Carlton provided a glamor- ous venue and extraordinary cuisine. Organising Committe of the Anglo Ameri- Guests waltzed and tangoed to the ful this year to both the long standing can School Gala (from left to right): Petra music of the Ensemble Divertimento, sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Gerendasi, Agnes Kindrachuk, Jennifer and then competed with equal energy Wimm-Bill-Dann and also to newcom- Galenkamp, Adrienn Seregi, Samantha for auction lots sold under the hammer ers like Samsung and LG Electronics for Volkov, Patricia Evanno of international auctioneer and school supporting our event, and our school.” parent Laurien Schroeder. Tony Watkins Corporate sponsors for the event in- Mr. Kevin Tomlinson (JTI International), and the Smokebreakers kept guests cluded: Mozart level: Coca-Cola Hellen- PricewaterhouseCoopers, Schlumberg- happy and rocking till the wee hours as ic, Mr. Octavian Dascalescu (BAT Russia), er. Mahler level: The Boston Consulting only Tony knows how to do. Co-chairs Deloitte, The Pepsi Bottling Company Group, The Byer Family, ConocoPhillips Adrienn Seregi and Jennifer Galenkamp Russia, Samsung Electronics, Wimm-Bill- Russia, White & Case. And also Citi Rus- noted that “we were particularly grate- Dann. Strauss level: Chevron Neftegaz, sia and METRO Cash and Carry.

Polish Embassy 2nd Charity Gala Reception, Concert and Dinner

The 2nd Charity Gala Reception, con- cert and dinner took place at the Pol- ish Embassy on Tuesday, May 26. It was held by kind invitation of Mr. Jerzy Bahr, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in the Russian Federation. The evening began with welcome drinks and then followed by a concert starring the cel- ebrated singer Vika Tsiganova who per- formed Russian songs. During the dinner the guests had the opportunity to enjoy Vmeste (www.unitedway.ru), and The Right to left: Chaplain of Ianno-Bocko good food and wine and socialize in a Moscow Ianno-Bocko Charitable Child- Child-Youth Educational Centre, The Polish pleasant company and atmosphere. Pro- Youth Educational Centre. For further Ambassador Mr. Jerzy Bahr, T. Zadirako, ceeds from the event were earmarked information about future events, email United Way Russia, and Andrei D. Tolstoy- for The charitable foundation, Doroga [email protected] Miloslavsky - Director of United Way Russia

48 June 2009 Out&About

English Language Evening In- vaded by Marauding Scots and Fine Auld Scotch

There was nae Larkin’ aboot at the auld Chekhov center on Friday, May 15 and deep into Saturday or so it seemed, as old ‘mad McMitchell’ [ed. note: respectable author and teacher Ian Mitchell] rambled across the Highlands like a demented Haggis wi’ a broken wing. Mercy was in shorter sup- ply than the Bruichladdich Visskiy, doled out generously by Veld-21 in quantities to make only an Aberdonian smile (if such a thing is philosophically possible) as he droned like a wounded set of pipes, now in Gallic, now in Glasgie maybe in Russky too, for his dram-swollen tongue was harder to with an interminable will-he won’t-he. He Ian Mitchell bear than the very pitchpine pews of the found it harder to get to the end of a sen- reay, as the throngs of sponging freeload- Kirk. In his hands Philip Larkin sounded fl at tence than me [another paralytically mo- ing skinfl ints who only turned up for a free and dull, no tricky feat I grant, but his Para rose Scotsman]. Improbable, but proved noggin will ne’er try that again. Handy was near as paralytic as his inter- possible! After a monologue that bettered locutor, and fair as paralyzed as his pained Rumplestiltskin’s longest nap, at last: the A taste of Scotland’s fi nest, indeed. As imprisoned philologically poisoned parish. magic moment arrived, a wee molecule of ever, ELE evenings are erudite, intense Like an aged stripper whose dress might Malt in a medicinally miniscule measure, and rewardingly unpredictable. An un- once have been fetching but has long so a brief moment it was too, especially as usual number of fi rst timers got excel- been carryin’, he feigned and feinted to let some Sassenach Kulak – that’s repetitious, lent value for their Rb.50. loose each tale, specs waving on and off his I ken - hogged the bottle tae himself. But it nose as he teased his rabbit-eyed audience was not all Gallic gloom, doom and Doun- Rabble Burns

Anglo-Moskva Book Review subject of Jones’s recent book about the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary leader of the Conservative Party in Britain, in the 1990s under Prime Minster John Ma- On the Saturday of the May Day holi- David Cameron MP. The book, which was jor. Jones gave an interesting and person- days, a select group of political enthusiasts published late last year, takes the form of ally nuanced portrait of the man who most gathered in a conference room on the conversations with Cameron, so it was political commentators are certain will be 29th fl oor of the Swissotel at Krasni Holmi, natural that Jones was happy to engage Prime Minister of Great Britain after next to hear the editor of London’s GQ maga- in conversation with Rifkind, who is, inci- summer’s general election. The event was zine, Dylan Jones, answer questions posed dentally, the son of Malcolm Rifkind MP, part of the AngloMoskva weekend, which by Times columnist, Hugo Rifkind, on the the Conservative politician who was both brought English culture to Moscow.

British Alumni Club Spravedlivaya Party in the Duma. Dmitrieva, a professional economist and former minister, is a member of the Duma’s Budget Committee. She spoke about the state of the Russian economy in the context of the pres- ent crisis, its priorities for develop- ment as her party sees them (less neftigas; more hi-tech), and about her conversations with the leadership who, she stressed, listen more will- ingly than their predecessors did in the 1990s. The audience was largely Russian. Both questions and answers were very detailed. Dmitriena as- Oksana Dmitrieva cribed the mistakes of current policy- makers more to economic illiteracy Early in May, the British Alumni than to personal favouritism, as has Club, an off-shoot of the British Coun- been alleged. Hopefully, more such cil, held a very informative evening meetings can be held in the embassy, at the British Embassy with Oksana where the atmosphere is calm and Dmitrieva, the deputy leader of the well-organised, yet hospitable.

June 2009 49 How To The Inferno: A Flat Finding Journey Through the Depths of Moscow text by Philip Baillie initially tested, would be to fi nd a reputable Judging by the websites, the same Dumping my bags on the lightly dust- agency to do it for you through a news- principle applies for fl ats as for visiting ed wooden tiles of a fourth-fl oor hostel paper or friend. However, due to fi nancial a museum or going to the theater in room, I sat on the bed and exhaled all the restraints, I decided to abandon the high that there are two price levels: one for nervous tension built up during the taxi road, instead choosing to freely slide down foreigners and one for Russians. Keenly rush from Domodedovo Airport. Getting the property ladder to ground level. The approached by expats and Russians to Moscow had been tough enough – in- second option was more exciting, more alike, who were keen to fi nd an Eng- volving months of planning. However, I Russian and therefore more unpredictable. lish-speaking fl at mate, I had to make now had a week before work started to Taking a risk, I got a chance to test my class- a tough decision. Nonetheless, the cri- achieve what seemed to be impossible room language skills over the phone to set sis provided a chance to negotiate the to the average student; to fi nd a fl at in an up some visits, having exhausted the nor- price, and saw my chosen fl at’s rent fall infernal ring of towering fl ats, real estate mal fl at fi nding channels. On the Russian by over 30%. Potential renters are in a crooks and bureaucratic chaos. side, LiveJournal forums and slando.ru were privileged position as jobs begin to dis- the best two websites amongst a network appear and rents become arrears. If you Stuffi ng a selection of complimentary of scams and pitfalls for unsuspecting for- are adventurous, sharing with a Rus- maps from the hostel into my padded eigners in English. One chain of e-mails in sian can be cheaper and a developing jacket I set off into the cold February morn- response to a thread from craiglist.com led experience, exchanging language and ing, the sun dormant behind a blue-grey to a comically unthinkable story of a family culture over a Friday evening pizza and masked sky, towards an unknown internet who were spread over the world from the beer. However, a severe warning should café. Stumbling into the fi rst place with a UK to India, and wanted to rent out their Ar- be heeded. One scarring experience Wi-Fi sign displayed in the window on my bat apartment for a knockdown price. Dis- led me to take a trial run at a central fl at, road to nowhere I set up a temporary base cussing the issue with Russians had taught shared with two Russians that became camp and made a quick checklist, despite me that such realtor agents even let apart- a surreal hubbub of debauched night- the gritty business lunch. Laptop – check. ments only to disappear after a few weeks. time activity… Internet – check. Patience – so far, check. Not great when the real owners of the fl at Luck… would be useful. While gulping arrive to their horror as they fi nd a little red- Following a swift getaway, I looked down some watery soup I began fl icking faced (taken for a ride) expat sleeping in over at my former fl at-mate who was through various expatriate websites sug- their bed. drifting off to sleep beside my suitcase gested by the hostel staff , including the in the metro carriage. Passing the illumi- more trustworthy expat.ru, redtape.ru Headquarters got busy around dinner nated Luzhniki Stadium visible through and fl atmates.ru. Since I was restricted by time, signaling the end of the business the glass fronted bridge, a few refl ective a student budget, I couldn’t aff ord to go day. While fl oods of tired workers spilled thoughts rested on my mind, helping through an agency, so a fl at-share was the out of the carriages and onto the marbled me to understand what is really impor- only real option. At least the credit crunch platforms, I slipped through the crowds, tant when looking for a fl at-share in would gradually gnash down the prices. continually checking the metro plan on Moscow. The fi rst is obvious but essen- Instead of agency fees, the main admin- the reverse side of my weathered city tial; to know what you want – area, size, istration costs were spent on sickly sweet map. Most evenings would involve two and price. The second is to visit as many apple juice to excuse my presence at visits to exhausted yet eager young pro- places as possible to have a good basis headquarters. Following hours of waving fessionals who were keen to let out their for comparison, to know what prices are away the waiter, my endeavors resulted in extra room to subsidize crisis squeeze. reasonable; corresponding to the fl at’s a shortlist of fl ats plotted around the city One in Yugo-Zapadnaya to Pechatniki, interior quality and proximity to the at various metro stations; each a capital of another in VDNK to Slavyanski Bulvar or metro. The third and most troublesome regional kiosk subculture. from Kitai Gorod to Tverskaya. Aside from point is to fi nd someone you can trust, the fact that each fl at had its own prob- or at least establish a sturdy contract There are two main methods to fi nd a lems, they met basic survival standards… with to avoid a future run through the fl at. The fi rst and most obvious method, as I apart from the fl at that had no furniture. Moscow fl at-fi nding Malebolge. P

50 June 2009 How To

Road bikes are the classic type of all bikes and the safest by Fancy Riding? far if you are a beginner. Your fi rst wobbles and blunders won’t be so fatal with a road bike. The main disadvantages are an ab- sence of windbreaks and cowls. One recommended model is the Honda CB 400. When you’re skilled enough you may feel this kind of bike a little boring. Maybe it’s time to move on to a sports bike, whose main merits are perfect controllability and amazing brakes. But seats on such racing horses are not very convenient, and take some time to get used to. The plastic cases on the bodies of such bikes are fragile and expensive to repair. If you’re not a professional rider, you may fall even at a low speed… If a sports bike is you, try the Yamaha R-6.

If you are not planning to become a stunt-rider, live more than a year and do long-distance trips, a touring bike is what you need. They are comfortable, easy to control, dynamic and have good braking; many models being are supplied with ABS. The windbreaks on such bikes are highly developed. But the disadvantages are also serious: they are expensive to re- pair and heavy. Probably not the best companion to Moscow traffi cjams. A recommended model is the Kawasaki ZZR-400. text by Elena Krivovyaz Hybrids are a universal type of motorbike fi t for both city photo Alina Ganenko and countryside use. They are not used for sports competi- tions or acrobatic feats. Hybrids are comfortable and unde- Judging by the amount of times you see something manding and not so prone to accidents - that’s why they’ re flashing by you as you try to crawl along in Moscow recommended for novices. But remember, hybrids are not traffic these days, riding a motorbike has become convenient if you are shorter than 5.5 feet. trendy in Moscow. For trafficjam sitters, bike riders are the object of envy. How do you get to be a biker? Bikers’ places The most popular bikers’ hangout is Vorobievy Gory, up on If you already know how to ride a moped or a scooter, the hill by the university, overlooking Moscow. This is where al- maybe it’s time to take the next step and buy a motor- most all Moscow bike owners, whether they be amateurs or pro- bike. Prices vary from $2,000 to $25,000 and much more fessionals, gather and then proudly ride in two or three lines for some professional models. It takes a day to get used around Moscow following a fi xed route. They start their exotic to a moped, but you need much longer to learn how to gatherings usually on the fi rst weekend of April. The second ride a motorbike. Your best choice is to sign up for a driv- well-known place for all bikers is a motorbike track in Myachkovo ing school (about $400 for a full course). You need to get Airdrome in suburban Ramenskoye, to the southeast of Moscow. a category A driving license to drive motorbikes in Rus- This is also used by professionals for their risky stunts. P sia, which is easier than getting a full driving license. Road rules for motorcycles and for cars are the same, although you wouldn’t know from the way that some of our two- Selection of motorbike manufacturers wheeled brethren drive. Two wheels provide a lot of ma- Panavto (Панавто) – offi cial distributor of Yamaha motor- neuverability but double or even triple the probability of bikes and mopeds having an accident. This is the main reason why biking is MKAD, 50th km catching on in Moscow but you don’t see as many bikers www. panavto.ru here as in other world capitals. The weather also plays a big part in the decision making process of whether to buy Active Motors – offi cial dealer of Honda bikes and mo- a bike or not. peds MKAD, 26th km, Bldg. 5/3 “Frequent falls are an expensive thing,” said Alexander Bor- www.active-motors.ru isov, a professional biker and motorbike-club and service “Ga- Bikeland – offi cial dealer Suzuki bikes and mopeds rage.dj” owner. “But you won’t fall when you’re fully confi dent www.bikeland.ru of your skills. The only thing you shouldn’t do on your bike is to cross the tramways at a steep angle – a fall is inevitable,” They have three huge stores: warns Alexander. 1) on Mozhaiskoye Shosse, on the way out of Moscow from Kutuzovsky Prospekt Find your kind 2) near metro station Voikovskaya, Kosmonavta Volkova The right choice of a bike is very important as diff erent mod- Ulitsa, 10. els and types have their own merits and demerits. In general, 3) near metro station Schelkovskaya, Schelkovskoye all bikes fall into three types: road bikes, sports bikes, tourist Shosse, 100A. bikes and hybrids.

June 2009 51 Columns Can I re-negotiate the How to make lease agreement now that (or break) a date rental prices are falling? by Michael Bartley, General Manager, Four Squares It’s not uncommon for a Russian man to ap- proach a lady on the street with the words «Можно For the last eight years we have seen landlords literally “raising the с Вами познакомиться?» (Can I get to know rent through the roof”, sometimes several times in the same year (even you?). This might seem a bit forward, or be just the though this is technically illegal). We, as renters, had few options, either approach you’re looking for. Here are some ways pay up or go through the time-consuming and costly process of fi nd- to respond or choose your own style: ing a new place to live. Now that rents are falling, can we re-negotiate a better deal with our landlord? The answer is, basically, yes. How to knock someone back: The Russian civil code does not contain any clauses forbidding the Я замужем. I’m married (for a woman). tenant from trying to renegotiate the contract. Both landlord and ten- Я женат. I’m married (for a man). ant base their relationship on the existing lease agreement, which is Нет, у меня нет времени, я спешу. No, I have usually signed for one year with a fi xed price and a one-month termi- no time, I’m in a hurry. nation clause for the tenant. The tenant, therefore, can propose a new rental price at any time. The worst case scenario is that the landlord Я здесь не один/одна. I’m not here on my own. refuses, in which case you have the choice of accepting this or initiating Я занят/занята. I’m busy. the one-month termination clause (if there is no termination clause in the agreement the tenant can give 3-months notice based upon Ar- But if you are interested: ticle 687 of the civil code). It is more likely that the landlord will accept a rental decrease or negotiate a compromise. If the landlord does agree Да, конечно. Yes, of course. to lower the rental price then both the landlord and tenant should sign А почему бы и нет? And why not? an attachment to the main lease agreement, stating that the new rental Никуда не спешу. I’m not in a hurry. price replaces the original rental price stated in the lease agreement.

If you signed your agreement before October 2008 (at pre-crisis If you want to ask someone out: prices) and you still haven’t renegotiated your agreement, then the Можно Вас угостить? Can I treat you? chances are that you are paying too much rent. (for example to a drink). Не хотите ли прогуляться? Can I take a walk Here is a list of reasons to give your landlord: with you?

Rental prices have fallen more than 20% (up to 50% for the most ex- Не хотите куда-нибудь сходить со мной? pensive properties) since October 2008. Will you come out with me? Могу ли я Вас пригласить на ужин? Can I Supply of rental properties has increased 20-25% since the crisis. take you out for dinner? In addition to the slower take up of existing housing stock, there has Можно Ваш номер телефона? Can I have been an infl ux of new properties from sellers on the residential sales your number? market who cannot currently sell their properties and are now renting them out. How to let someone down gently: There are now 20% less expatriates renting properties than before Может быть в другой раз. Maybe some other the crisis, and expatriates account for 50% of the elite rental market in time. downtown Moscow. У меня сейчас нет времени на свидания. I don’t have time right now for dating. Many of the expatriates remaining in Moscow are forced to reduce У меня завал на работе. I’m up to my ears at expenses and rent is a major expense item. work.

Salary freezes and reductions for expatriates and Russians are com- Прошу Вас мне больше не звонить. Please mon. don’t call me anymore. В следующей жизни! Maybe in another life! Something is better than nothing – in times of fi nancial uncertainty the landlord doesn’t want to lose you and it might take him six months to fi nd another tenant.

So, be bold, be confi dent – this crisis opportunity won’t last forever. Good luck! P

52 June 2009 Columns

As with the past two months, there are Russian Economy some positive signs. Urals oils continues to trade above $50, closing at $55.35 in the week ending May 15. The manufactur- Still Mired ing and service sector PMI continue to im- prove, rising to 43.4 and 44.4 in the case of manufacturing and services respectively in Recession in April. The Central Bank of Russia has also started to loosen monetary policy, text by Matthew Partridge cutting the refi nancing rate from 13% to 12.5%, and then a fortnight later to 12%. At the same time both the currency and ruble reserves continue to hold steady.

However, these mildly positive signs should not be mistaken for a recovery. Unless there is a catastrophic geopo- litical event that disrupts the supply of oil (which is admittedly not outside the realm of possibility), oil is unlikely to rise any further, and could in fact fall back somewhat. Although the data from both PMI surveys look more solid, the balance is still strongly negative, indicating that the economy is merely contracting at a slower rate rather than increasing. Indeed, at 43.4 the manufac- turing PMI is only above the level it was at the epicenter of the 1998 crisis.

Most importantly, after rising in Febru- ary the money supply fell again. It has fall- en in six out of the last seven months and is nearly 13% down from its peak last August and contracting at a six-month annualized rate of 22.4%. Given that a rate of mon- etary expansion of between 15 and 25% is needed to maintain trend growth and the infl ation target, the CBR needs to cut rates more drastically and embark on quantita- tive easing. A looser monetary policy will mean that the ruble will have to fall again, bringing to an end the brief period of rela- tive stability that it has been experiencing since the middle of February.

Russia seems to be at a crossroads. The worldwide depression that many feared only a few months ago, now seems un- likely. Indeed, a return to positive eco- nomic growth in the world’s major econ- omies seems likely in the next few months, although it will take some time before a return to trend. Similarly, crude oil has bounced back. However, Russia can neither rely on a return to the oil prices of even eighteen months ago nor can it coast along on the coattails of the global economy. Those looking to put money in the stock market should hold off until more decisive action is taken by the monetary authorities. P

June 2009 53 Columns I’m an expat. Don’t let me get out of here! by Luc Jones, Partner – Tech- projects, whether planned or in the pro- and still on the decline, they have not nology & Natural Resources, cess are in many cases being shelved. gone away, and are unlikely to disappear Antal International Russia Ltd whilst such skills are not available locally. Since most non-CIS citizens can be If you’re in this enviable position, milk it So you’re an expat based in Moscow grouped into one of three categories, while you can – you’re a lucky b*stard! and you’re worried about losing your job? let’s take a look at where you stand. Join the (ever expanding) club! Times are Recent arrivals are probably those that tough in Russia; it may have taken longer Long-term Moscow expats know the could be at greatest risk – in many cases for the global downturn to hit this part of market well, have good contacts within they were brought in for their specifi c the world, but once it struck, it hit every- both the Russian and foreign business knowledge of a niche area or to develop a one hard – Russians and foreigners alike. community and often either run their new line of business – classic examples are Some in late summer were even naïve own business or work for somebody who in fi nancial services or real estate as the Rus- enough to think that we were immune does. They are invariably settled here with sian market expands and there are insuffi - here, protected from the world recession a Russian wife and children, possibly own cient Russian nationals with relevant experi- by a booming economy and high energy their own apartment and are here for the ence in such sectors. They previously had prices. But are we really deep down in the long haul. Many survived the August 1998 little or no exposure to Russia and if they do merde, and where do we all go from here? crisis so should be extremely adept at rid- fi nd themselves surplus to requirements in ing the present storm. their existing company, they will be the As an expat, your future depends very ones struggling to fi nd a new employer. much on what your company does, how Corporate executives who were posted Many were attracted to Russia by the chal- well it is faring and more importantly ex- to Russia with their multinational orga- lenge – not to mention the big bucks, and actly what your role is within the organi- nization some time ago needn’t panic if are unlikely to have the transferable skills to zation. First to get the chop has been the they are in a position to justify their (ex- be of interest to those employers still hiring director of strategy as the fi rm’s key aim pensive) existence within the fi rm. Whilst – in fact some have packed up and left the is looking at how to survive the coming generous benefi t packages for such expa- country altogether, although this is nothing few months, and this is generally done triates, which can sometimes double their like the autumn 1998 exodus that we wit- by focusing on the areas of business that actual salary – housing allowance, fl ights nessed, when the overwhelming majority are currently in demand and can bring in home, schooling, driver, healthcare for of expats were on a one-way ticket out of immediate revenue. Any ‘nice-to-have’ the family – are scarcer than in the 1990s Sheremetyevo 2. P

54 June 2009 Viewpoint

In a major scoop, Passport has secured the rights to the diary of Michael Romanov, pretender to the Russian throne. He has recently emigrated from London to Moscow in order to campaign for election as Tsar Michael II. Follow his progress exclusively in Passport. Diary of a Tsar-in-Waiting by Michael Romanov seems interested. Then a small, young- *** The phone has not stopped ringing all ish-looking chappie trots out of a dark Later in the morning, Father Euphe- morning. Half the world, it seems, wants stairway and takes my card. At fi rst, I as- mius drops by to bless our new com- to know me now that I have come out of sume he is the security manager. But I puter system. He mumbles words in Old the shkaf (or ‘closet’) and thrown my hat am pleasantly surprised, in a democratic Church Slavonic and sprinkles Holy Wa- into the ring, politically-speaking. sort of way, when he announces that his ter left, right and center. name is Medvedev, and that he actually TIME wanted to know if I thought that runs the joint. This was my secretary, Tanya’s, idea. the Russian Presidency should become The goal was increased effi ciency. But hereditary. Le Monde phoned with a He takes me upstairs to a modest far from improving the system’s perfor- question in French, of which I could un- apartment, where amidst a clutter of mance, it seems to retard it. In fact, it will derstand only the words ‘Bastille’ and computers, we sit and drink green tea not boot up at all. My chauff eur, Sasha, ‘guillotine’. and eat little chocolates that have pic- says he thinks we have Holy Water on tures of peasant girls on the wrapper. the motherboard. The Berlinische Abendblatt seemed in- *** terested in something that sounded like He shows me the blogs he writes, Just before lunch more bad news ar- ‘the mine shaft’. I assume this refers to and urges me to do the same if I want rives. Pete Lyon, my landlord and an my great uncle Nicky who paid a posthu- to make contact with the general pub- old friend, bounds into our little com- mous visit to one in Ekaterinburg in July lic in so large a country as Russia. The mand center with a genial smile saying 1918. But they might have said ‘gemein- mood is modern, positive and friendly. he wants us out of here within a month. schaft’. German is Greek to me. I can see he does not want to be Presi- The crisis, blah blah. dent for long. Finally a breathy girl from the Daily *** I say I have already been looking for Telegraph phones from London asking Back at the offi ce, which is a tempo- larger premises. We will need much what the Tsarina is wearing this season. rary suite attached to the small oil-trad- more space if we are to mount a serious I explain that she is not the Tsarina yet, ing fl oor that a friend of mine runs on challenge to the Vertical Party at the still plain Mrs Bettina Wilhelmovna Ro- Tverskaya, the phone is ringing again. next election. manova. There is a sharp click at the It is the same TIME reporter wanting me London end and the phone goes dead. to tell him what I discussed in my audi- ‘I have seen a nice big building down ence with Medvedev. How did he know by the river that might do,’ I say. ‘It is a Is this because we have, as yet, no about it? white, slab-like structure; not attrac- titles? Or could it be because my dear, tive, but large. It is just opposite the saintly wife is revealed by her name to ‘Elton John,’ I say on a whim, just to Hotel Ukraine. Do you know it, by any be German. Even though an Imperial fox him. chance?’ restoration looked very unlikely when we married thirty years ago, I thought it There is an awed hush at the other Pete sniff s and says, ‘I wonder what prudent to make an alliance with some- end of the line, so I volunteer an expla- Mr Putin will say to that!’ one from the country where most of my nation. reigning ancestors drew spouses. Whoever can he be referring to? I ‘I am hoping to persuade Elton to think I’ll ring the TIME chappie, who No true Tsar is complete without a come over here for a fund-raising con- seems omniscient, and inquire. P German at his side, though in the cause cert in the autumn,’ I say. ‘I was im- of domestic harmony it is best to have pressed by the way he played at a friend Next month: what happens when Mi- one who speaks English. of mine’s funeral in Westminster Abbey chael Romanov is introduced to Mr Pu- *** in 1997, and think he could do Candle in tin at a private ABBA concert, where he To the Kremlin to present my creden- the Wind for me too. I’ll provide the can- broaches the subject of offi ce accom- tials as Tsar-in-waiting. At fi rst, nobody dles if he can raise the wind.’ modation…

June 2009 55 Distribution List

Restaurants & Bars Planeta Sushi Dunaevsky 7 European Medical Center Academy Porto Maltese Gogolevsky 11 German Dental Center Adriatico Prognoz Pogody Iris Business Center International SOS Adzhanta Pyramid Japan House US Dental Care Aist Real McCoy Lotte Plaza MedinCentre Alrosa Rendezvous Meyerkhold House American Bar & Grill R&B Cafe Morskoi Dom Others Apshu Scandinavia Mosalarko Plaza American Chamber Art Bazar Seiji Mosbusiness Center of Commerce Art Chaikhona Shafran Moscow Business Center American Express Australian Open Shamrock Mosenka 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Anglo-American School Baan Thai Shanti Novinsky Passage American Institute of Business and Beavers Shokolad Olympic Plaza Economics BeerHouse Silvers Irish Pub Romanov Dvor Astravel Bellezza Simple Pleasures Samsung Center Aviatransagentstvo Bistrot Starlite Diner Sodexho Baker Hughes Blooming Sakura Sudar British International School Blue Elephant SunGate Embassies Cara & Co. Bookafe T. G. I. Friday’s Australia Citibank Cafe des Artistes Talk of the Town Austria Concept MR, ZAO Cafe Atlas Tapa de Comida Belgium Dr. Loder’s Cafe Courvoisier Tesoro Brazil DHL Cafe Cipollino The Place Canada English International School Cafe Gorozhanin Trattoria Macaroni China Ernst & Young Cafe Michelle Tunnel Cyprus Evans Property Services Cafe Mokka Vanilla Sky Czech Republic Expat Salon Cantinetta Antinori Vogue Cafe Denmark Foreign Ministry Press Center Сarre Blanc Vesna Delegation of EC General Electric Che White Sun of the Desert Egypt General Motors CIS Chenonceau Yapona Mama Finland Gold’s Gym China Dream Zapravochnya France Halliburton International Cicco Pizza Germany Hinkson Christian Academy Coff ee Bean Hotels Hungary Imperial Tailoring Co. Colonna Akvarel Hotel Moscow Iceland Indian Shop Costa Coff ee Ararat Park Hyatt Indonesia Interpochta Cutty Sark Art-Hotel India Ital-Market Da Cicco Barvikha Hotel&spa Israel JAL Darbar Belgrad Italy JCC Djonka Courtyard by Marriott Japan Jones Lang LaSalle Dom Kompozitorov Globus Kuwait LG Electronics Donna Klara Golden Apple Hotel Luxembourg Mega/IKEA Esterhazy East-West Malaysia Moscow Voyage Bureau Fat Mo Iris Hotel Mauritius Move One Relocations Feras Katerina-City Hotel Mexico NB Gallery French Cafe Marriott Grand Netherlands Park Place Gallery of Art Marriot Royal Aurora New Zealand Passport Offi ce Gandhara Marriott Tverskaya Norway PBN Company Ginger Cafe Metropol Pakistan Penny Lane Realty Gorki Mezhdunarodnaya 2 Peru Philips Russia Grand Havana Maxima Hotels Philippines Pilates Yoga Guilly’s National Poland Pokrovky Hills Hard Rock Cafe Novotel 1, 2 Portugal PricewaterhouseCoopers Hotdogs Proton Saudi Arabia Procter & Gamble Ichiban Boshi Radisson Slavyanskaya Singapore Pulford Il Patio Renaissance Slovenia Reuters Italianets Sheraton Palace South Africa Renaissance Capital Ju-Ju Soyuz South Korea Respublika Khajuraho Sretenskaya Spain Ruslingua Labardans Swissotel Krasnye Holmy Sweden Russo-British Chamber of Commerce Liga Pub Tifl is Thailand St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Louisiana Steak House Volga United Arab Emirates Savant Mikstura Zavidovo United Kingdom Schwartzkopf & Henkel Molly Gwynn’s Pub Zolotoye Koltso United States Shishkin Gallery Navarros Sport Line Club Night Flight Business Centers Medical Centers Swiss International Airlines Nostalgie American Center American Clinic TeamAllied Old Havana Club Business Center Degtyarny American Dental Clinic Tretiakov Gallery Pancho Villa Business Center Mokhovaya American Dental Center Unilever Pizza Express Dayev Plaza American Medical Center Uniastrum Bank Pizza Maxima Ducat Place 2 European Dental Center WimmBillDann

56 June 2009