Moscow Mondays: МГУ, Povarskaya Street, and More!

When Monday's roll around, it's typically back to work , and watching the clock as the first day of the week grinds on interminably . And throw in a yawn there somewhere as well. Or 3 of them, just for good measure.

But my Mondays? My "free" day! What this means in Moscow translation: 6 hours of Russian class and I'm free by 2 pm! The schedule here is such that when that 2 pm target arrives, really all I want to do is go home. Cook a homemade meal in my half-kitchen. Clean my apartment. And NAP! Some Mondays, said itinerary wins out. But I've made it a goal to fight said instincts in an effort to actually see my city and share some of its highlights with you! Here are some of the February highlights:

МГУ: Moscow State University

MGU holds a special place in my heart. When I first visited Moscow a little over 2 years ago this is where my Russian family took me on my first day in town. As in, just stepped off the plane in a jet-lagged delirium. And it's easy to see why. Not only is this Stalinst architecture at its finest, but it comes with a view in the other direction as well!

 Post-university and my first falls on the ice of the season---2 times within approximately 15 minutes. Never get cocky my friends. That very morning I'd been congratulating myself on the fact that I'd made it through the winter without a fall---it was time to head indoors for reprieve from the cold and nourishment. And we found....Texas?!

I have to be honest. Even in my 3 years in Texas, I never happened across such a large tribute to Bud. This is a 4-story mall, for frame of reference.

Earlier in the month (on a day when my only intent was to go to the bank and then directly home to sleep), I got distracted by the scenery and ended up wandering for a couple hours. Here's what I found:

The Greater Church of the Ascension. Otherwise known as the church where Alexander Pushkin (Russia's most beloved poet) married his Natalia. The statue in front commemorates the occasion.

This statue clearly commemorates more important things. Such as a girl wishing she could fly away from this horrific instrument and never practice again. Or maybe the keyboard is wishing it could fly away and never be played by her again. Regardless, it may be one of my Moscow favorites.

 Not far from the Greater Church of the Ascension is Povarskaya Street. In the days of Ivan Grozny, it was allotted as an area for the upper class and, despite losing it's prestige at one point in history, was reinstated as such in the late 1800's. Now it's mansions house several embassies, the Supreme Court, Gnessin State Musical College, and the World Literature Museum.

History aside, it has a great atmosphere. Albeit that you're located off of one of the busiest streets in Moscow (Novy Arbat), it's quiet, calm, and a lovely place to do a little wandering. Those qualities can be difficult to happen across in this city, so it's always a pleasant find!

Supreme Court

 Norwegian Embassy

 Embassy of Cyprus

 Church of St. Simeon Stylites

I love this view. The contrast between the two structures is quintessential Moscow.

In the daily life of city grind, it's easy to become numb to the eclectic beauty that Moscow offers. I sometimes get stuck on the commute, the swarms of people in the metro, the expense, the politics, the weather, and the cultural contrasts. But every time I take a step back and really look at the city, I fall in love all over again. And thankfully I have Moscow Mondays to do so!!!

Moscow Mondays: Tsaritsyno

Some Mondays are just plain 'ole Mondays, even in Moscow. Yesterday I went to Russian class, conjugated approximately 5,342 verbs (I may have lost track in the counting process, but I'm sure this figure is nearly accurate), went to work, and then went straight home, earlier than user. You see, this week is brought to you by "I'm not sick. I will NOT be sick! I'm NOT SICK!!!!" This is the game in which I refuse to acknowledge headache, sore throat and the beginnings of a chest cold, in an effort to show Moscow who's REALLY in charge.

That being said, evenings in really are in order (I'm not completely foolish). So...while I didn't venture out on this particular Monday, I did some exploration last Wednesday and will recount said adventure today!

Tsarytsino: It's just a quick jaunt down the green line, but you surface from the underground into a different world. No crowds, fresh air, trees...I can see why someone would want to build a home here. Here's the modest little dacha itself:

I couldn't actually get far enough back to fit it in the frame. Note to self: save for a fancy new lens.

I could make to with a slightly smaller house if I got to live on these grounds. Seriously, I love being outdoors and despite my perpetual mocking of the fact that I live in a cabin in the woods, I don't know that I could make-do in Moscow city life without these serene places of retreat.

This may have been one of my favorite sights: free internet available. In the middle of a giant, snow-covered field. Welcome to Russia.
Also on the list of favorites, homemade "slip 'n' slides." The snowy version. I'll have to document one of these next time I come across it, but basically a smooth, icy patch has been warn down on the sidewalk to serve as a slippery rush of sorts. I don't know who's making them...all you have to do is walk down the streets of Moscow and you'll unintentionally fall on 50 or so. Literally. Fun nonetheless!

And last, but not least, of the favorites:

There is something so whimsical and fantastic about this staircase. In the event of me living at Tsaritsyno (any guesses on those odds), I would pass many an hour (in warmer seasons, of course!) at the top of this staircase, likely with a book. Envision the trees covered with greenery, and it's basically a fancy treehouse.

While much of my life is spent wishing for warmth, I have to say on this particular day I wouldn't have traded the stunning snowfall for anything! You know those fake looking snowflakes plastered on winter decorations that look absolutely picture perfect? I SAW THOSE! One fell on my camera and I was thrilled. I have never seen a real life perfect snowflake. Made. My. Day!!!

If you're planning a trip to Moscow, or already here, be sure this place is on your list of things not to miss!

Moscow Mondays: Christmas Take 2!

The beauty of arriving back in Moscow on the 3rd of January was that as our holidays were ending, theirs were really only just getting underway. And people here take their holidays and relaxation very seriously, a la Russe. As in, the normally swarming metros feel almost void of people and there's a Christmas tree on every corner (in the center anyways). Except that they're not Christmas trees...the major Russian holiday is New Year's. Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7th, and while everyone is celebrating at that point, it's primarily due to the fact that they just never stopped celebrating New Years.

I love it. I came back to Moscow and it felt like a different city. Especially since the weather had warmed up significantly in my absence.

Christmas Day (Round 2) I took to the streets to check out the holiday makeover. And to walk...it's a popular Russian pastime. During daylight, it was lovely. In the evening, it was stunning. And seriously cold. My friend Nastya found us a Russian "mythology" tour of the area around the Kremlin. Most of the stories and history were presented in an "official" version and then several variations of myths followed. Needless to say, my sense of Russian history is all the more confused. We cut out of the 2.5 hour walking tour a bit early. There comes a point when nothing makes it worth being out in the cold for even a minute longer. We were there.

Besides, we had business to attend to: my first Russian cooking class! Pilmyeni are delicious and fortunately not overly complicated to make. They're also something you can cook and eat pretty much immediately, which is an added bonus. And ultimately, I think cooking makes the best possible souvenir. It's always fun to bring a piece of a country home with you that you can recreate. When I find myself homesick for Russia (assuming a time when I'm not living here), I'll have a comfort food to bring me back home!

And of course a Russian cooking class would NOT be complete without a matryoshka apron.

While, we couldn't fit everything into Christmas Day, the weekend before we also enjoyed a holiday highlight: The Nutcracker. If you ever decide to brave the cold and visit Russia during the winter, try to hit it up over the holidays. And DON'T miss our Bolshoi Ballet performing this classic. If you live in Moscow, add it to your bucketlist. The set is stunning, the dancers are fantastic, and there's nothing quite like seeing a Russian classic while on Russian soil. When in Moscow...

I'm chalking up Second Christmas as a success. While it's back to work for most of the Russian populace today, never fear...Old New Year's and another day off is just around the corner! After all, the best holidays deserve to be celebrated twice!!!

Moscow Mondays: Живописный мост

Happy Monday! What joys has your Monday brought? Mine thus far has included:

• My coldest day in Moscow yet: -20 Celsius / -4 Fahrenheit.
• Despite the awful temperatures, today I saw sunshine!!! We're down to about 7 hours of daylight and those tend to fall while I'm in the catacombs of the opera. Sunlight, even when doing nothing for the temperature, is a beautiful thing. 
• A final exam. Oh, Russian grammar...how thou dost try my patience. To help us channel our Russian energy, the university shut off the heaters for the morning. Okay, not really. But they were definitely broken. And it made me doubly thrilled to finish the exam. 
• When it's -20 out, every step outdoors must be calculated. Post-university I decided to grab some delicious döner kebab, as it just so happens that the BEST place for it in Moscow is relatively near my university. When I say "relatively near" that means about 10-15 minutes on foot. In the elements. It was a risky decision, but oh so tasty!

• This advertisement seen today in the metro = my personal life motto. "It's cold outside!" "In your soul it's warm!" Chocolate: "Optimism in your hands." Made. My. Day.

Today's original Moscow Monday game plan was a trip to an icon museum. But since I had only seen it on a map and couldn't accurately gauge how many minutes it would take to walk from metro to museum, it was out. So instead, I bring you:

Живописный Мост

I pass by it every day on my way into the center and I've been meaning to photograph it since Day 1. Today's sunshine made it irresistible, so instead of spending 15-20 minutes outdoors hunting for an icon museum, I spent about 40 minutes forgetting my frozen feet and snapping shots of what could be called my "hood."

While the red of the bridge is much more vivid in autumn or summer sunlight (I believe summer sunlight exists in Moscow, though I'll have to see it to be convinced), I love seeing the river iced over. Rumor has it that people walk across it comfortably in the winter months. Hasn't made it onto my to-do list...my calculations suggest that would be too long spent out of doors...but we'll see.

I found this blog that has some stunning pictures of the bridge in warmer days. Weather AND photo jealousy ensued and I'm determined to devote more time to learning to coax beauty from my camera.

While not my immediate neighborhood...this is my neighboring civilization.

But there's no place like Home Sweet Home.

This Moscow Monday was yet another reminder of the stunning beauty this city has to offer. And the two blankets, hot lemon water, and fresh pair of thick socks that awaited upon my arrival at my cabin? Equally gorgeous! 

November 27: A Day Off

While my posts may be a day off due to the Russian internet crisis (if I have a problem, it must be of national proportions), today I actually had a day off! It had been a 10-day stint of work, and while that's obviously doable it's definitely not preferable. So how did I spent it?

In rehearsal. With the Russian National Orchestra. AND some of my Houston opera family. This week I have not one, but TWO visitors from H-Town and I'm loving it. One of the beauties of my profession is the traveling often required. And while I am not doing said traveling at the moment, I'm grateful that other people are! Especially in my neighborhood.

Lessons learned at rehearsal:

It's such a gift to be surrounded by talented, inspirational people.

Playing a gig at 12:30 am the night before ANY rehearsal in which you may be called upon to translate is a BAD idea.

Translating? Not an easy job. Props to all those who are good enough in their languages to do it effectively. While I did only a very little bit and had to find synonyms for adjectives that I have yet to learn in Russian, it was totally thrilling. And terrifying. Oh, this language...

While traffic in Moscow is ridiculous, it is sure lovely to be in a car every now and again. That is NOT a marshrut.

Post-rehearsal I made a visit to the opera to see another familiar face and was presented with a gift she had brought me from a true friend:

T2 was already one of my favorite people, but in sending me these from Houston, he secured his place at the top of the list. Christmas and Reese's in combination!!!

Next up was a stop at the gigantic Библио-глобус bookstore for yet another book on Russian grammar and some enjoyable browsing. I've always been a sucker for bookstores--there's something so awe-inspiring about all the information and possibility contained in the seemingly endless pages available! And this store is the real deal. If you're in Moscow, check it out!

Add a religion class in Russian to the end of the day, and this girl was seriously exhausted from a "day off." But I came home to pumpkin pie and Reese's and look forward to the sugar-enduced coma that will shortly ensue.

Since I couldn't post from my computer yesterday, I am now including a Turkey Day picture. This makes me laugh every time I look at it: gloriously ghetto and I SO know how that turkey feels! Long legs can be such a challenge!

Moscow Mondays

Monday. To most of of you this word means work. Shackles. The end of peaceful weekend reverie. Real life and Karen Carpenter.

But here in Moscow, Mondays are my "day off." What that means in Moscow-English is that I attend 6 hours of Russian class, but come 2 o'clock...the day and this city are mine! When I first got here, I made Monday my designated "Moscow" day, picking an item off my bucketlist and making an afternoon of it. Then life and work happened, as they often do, and my afternoon of freedom became the time to clean, grocery shop, regroup and reorganize. And now the time has come to mesh these versions of Monday, in the pursuit of that unattainable ideal of balance.

While today is not yet over (there is homework waiting to be done!), I'm going to coin it a complete success. Why? Get ready for it...

I. Bought. A. TURKEY! Those of you in the USA are at this point offering a pathetic, slow clap, if even that. Turkeys are, after all, literally almost a dime a dozen. And if they're not that cheap today, they will be come Friday. BUT, here in Moscow it's another story. You can come by turkey bits quite easily, and rumor has it that you can even request a whole turkey at the market. It might still come live with feathers, but since I haven't tried that, I can't testify one way or another. I decided to try the route where I pop my head into every upper-tier grocery store I passed over the past week. (Someday it might be worth outlining the grocery gradations in Moscow...that day has not come.) Today, my efforts were rewarded. I purchased my beautiful little bird and took it to class with me. I don't have children or pets to show off, but I was thrilled to put my turkey baby on exhibition.

I had arranged to do some sight-seeing post-lessons and considered taking Indyeka out on the town as well. But like any good parent, I decided it was best to let her nap at home. By herself. In the freezer. Please take notes if this is the first time you've been introduced to this parenting style.

I headed back to the metro to meet up with one of my Russian friends/tour guide. Friendship is awesome. Tour guide and simultaneous language practice just makes the relationship that more rewarding. Not sure how much I bring to the table yet in these relationships, but I sure make a great listener!

First stop, Park Pobedy, via the famed Парк Победы metro: it's the deepest in Moscow and the 3rd deepest in the world when calculated by mean depth, at 97 meters/275.591 ft. and the deepest in the world when calculated by maximum depth. (Stephanie's Scientific Measurements are sponsored today by Wikipedia.) And the escalators are the longest in Europe...it takes around 3 minutes to surface from the underground. I fell in love with this metro station today. Yes, you read correctly. A metro station. Maybe it was the turkey bliss exuding from my being, but I think it also had something to do with the shocking lack of people and the fascinating design.

The amazing visual spiral that the reflections and patterns create is completely fascinating. It probably brings to mind all those artistic metro stations in NYC. Or maybe DC? False...the Russians win this contest hands down!

Eventually I decided to surface and see what the outer world had to offer. It's offering was cold. But I snapped a few quick shots of Park Pobedy and the Triumphal Arch before diving inside to grab some hot chocolate. And take a phone call saying that I was now to meet my Russian friend on the other side of town.

Still exuberant over my turkey child and my newfound romance with the metro, I braved the masses at peak hour and made it to Chistye Prudy. It turned out to be worth the effort.

Good company, good conversation (despite the fact that I could not remember the word for raccoon for the life of me! Critical to any conversation...) and a great city. And let us not forget: the turkey.

A Moscow Monday for the books!