She had me fooled...

Just when you think you know a girl, that she's finally quit giving you the cold shoulder and warmed up to you, she gives you this...

Oh, Moscow. I've been feeling like I'm back in Texas with the sporadic downpours...except that it's not really just sporadic. I'm pretty sure it's been raining for the entire week. While this makes adventuring in the form of sightseeing around Moscow a bit difficult, it has made for some new adventures: how to best make it to the metro in ballet flats. I think I secretly hoped if I didn't give in to my rain boots that nature would declare me victor. I lost. But in sacrificing my ballet slippers, I was able to offer a colleague a piggy back to save her from the lake near our home. She was shocked. Coming from a family of 10+ I didn't find anything out of the ordinary about it.  I was gifted an apple approximately the size of my head in reward for my heroic attempts (which really only resulted in a passing van stopping to drive us across the lake...I was spared more than about 10 seconds of piggy back).

A picture like this doesn't occur often, so it had to be documented. The abnormality: Where are the people?

Yesterday while the rain took a brief pause, I made it to the Bulgakov museum to learn a bit more about the author of Master and Margarita. I love books and had to document these shelves which I would love to transport to my home. I didn't think I could fit it into my bag however.

The museum had some interesting tidbits and if you're a die-hard Bulgakov fan, then absolutely go! Entrance to the apartment was free, although we were kicked out early due to a scheduled tour. It's alright--it gave us just enough time to make a pass by Patriarch Ponds before the rain started falling again. Was I once again in ballet flats? Absolutely.

While there's not much sunshine predicted in the immediate forecast, I'll be doing my best to fit in a few more museums before starting June's European Extravaganza! Thursday it's off to London where I'll be joined by my parents and sister on Sunday. Then it's stops in Paris, Florence, Rome, and Switzerland, with a return to Russia---sister in tow! I have a suspicion that I might need a post-vacation vacation, but I'm excited for the food and fun ahead!

In the meantime, working on staying dry! It's back to the rain boots. 

Мечтание: The Tretyakov Gallery

Happy Easter, Orthodox-style! Moscow is filled with beautiful churches and today their bells were ringing off the hook. Breathtaking! I received a colored-egg as an Easter gift today and, in order to truly live up the holiday, made an egg-salad sandwich. Sometimes we get a little crazy in these parts...

Despite the month-long delay of Easter, our city has yet to hit resurrection phase. The greenery is there, but I'm sensing the buds are still another couple weeks away. With another chilly, rainy afternoon on hand, selecting a museum for today's Moscow adventure made perfect sense. And, despite having now lived in Moscow for 8 months, I had yet to explore what is considered our #1 art museum: the Tretyakov Gallery. It was time, my friends!

The Tretyakov houses a stunning collection of Russian art and shouldn't be missed if you're visiting Moscow. I am not nearly educated enough in the art history sphere, so I generally like to pick up an audio-guide to learn as I go. (Someday I will take an art history class!) My museum tolerance level, however, tends to top out at 2 hours so I've had to develop my personal viewing style. Here it is:

When entering a room, do a quick scan of all the artwork. For me there are typically around three pieces that immediately grab my attention, whether it be by size, composition, or subject matter. I'll glance at the rest of the art (especially if my audio-guide recommends doing so), but the majority of my time in the room is spent focused on the works that drew my initial attention, trying to deduce what specifically captivated my interest. 

Мечтание/Dreaming; Нефф

The wonderful thing about this system? It will never be the same. I know that the next time I visit the Tretyakov, I'll be in a different place and its likely different art will speak to me. Or maybe the same pieces will jump out, but for different reasons. It's one of the beauties of art in general...it has a universal ability to communicate in a constantly fresh way.

Крестный ход у Благовещенского собора в Московском Кремле; Бодри

Христос в пустыне/Christ in the Wilderness; Крамской

Ночь на Днепре/Night on the Dnepre; Кунджи

For me, today it was all about light and faces. These are only a few of the paintings which made an impression, and in this vast collection there is much more discovery to be done! But, to steal an art-museum game from a friend, I picked one which I would like to take home. Today's choice? Neff's Dreaming, the first of the paintings included. Something about the girl's expression, combined with the light and colors, made me feel like I had left Moscow behind and entered a world of wonder. In dreaming their is hope, there is future, and there is direction. Her life is not determined by location or situation, but only the limits of her mind and fantasy. Reality is fleeting and rightfully so. She drew me into her dream and if the Tretyakov Gallery needed a temporary/permanent relocation for her portrait, I think it would contribute nicely to my cabin walls.

My one other visit to the Tretyakov was a few months ago, but we were a bit preoccupied with another art form.

I'm planning on at least one more visit before the end of the month and am convinced that I'll still only be brushing the surface of all this place has to offer! A Moscow must-see.

Big City Escape: Yasnaya Polyana

"In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you." ~L. Tolstoy

Big cities have their thrill, but with the glitz comes the grime and an ever-brisk pace of life can leave you somewhat winded. When the thought of another morning in a swarming metro is enough to push you past the limits of big-city sanity (the definition itself differs in such places), it's time. Time to get out.

After throwing a mini-temper tantrum at work on Monday, I knew my time had arrived. Luckily, I had felt the onset of insanity and had already planned a day getaway. May 1st is the start of the May holidays in Russia which means about 6 work days off for most Russians, as many as 10 for others, and approximately 0 for anyone who works in a theater. I disregarded the fact that I work in a theater, however, and Wednesday morning set off to visit my Russian bestie in Tula, about 2 and a half hours south of Moscow.

I can't offer much information about Tula itself. It's slower paced. The air is fresh. Menu prices are shockingly low (EVERY menu price will likely seem low post-Moscow existence). And crossing the street doesn't feel like potential suicide. Suburbs for the win! If you do make it to this city, you can't leave without trying the renowned Тульские Пряники (Tulsky Pryaniki). They're famed for this dessert! It comes in all shapes and sizes with a variety of fillings. But while people may try to replicate them elsewhere, everyone swears that there's a special secret in the recipe used in Tula. They're just tastier. Having only sampled those from Tula, I am not yet in a position to give a fair assessment of the matter.

But for me, Tula's main attractions centered around my friend and her family. The aunt who wants to talk about everything and everything, refuses to let you pass the evening without tea served in a proper tea setting and will not hear of you passing up on the cake. Her daughter, the cousin, is attempting to fight off her similarities with her mother, but not with much success. She's every bit as gregarious, and will not be turned down when she offers you some of her shashlik. Even though you've JUST eaten. We're shown family pictures from the 50's, carted around in the second seat of the family car...sharing it with 5 people...given souvenir magnets, and given a tour of Papa's newly purchased apartment. With a 13-year-old and a toddler in the equation, there's never a dull moment. Noise, laughter, and the sounds of family are ever constant. I loved it.

But where was that bit about the city escape? The calm and quite? Don't worry, it's part of the day as well. One of the main reasons to escape to Tula is to visit this place:

Yasnaya Polyana. The place where the famous Lev Tolstoy was born, wrote his two greatest novels (War and Peace, Anna Karenina), and is buried. While it will be officially decked out for Spring in approximately 2 weeks, the greenery is starting to show and it's easy to see how anyone could happily pass their days here...especially with the occasional visit to the city! 

One of the museums, located in a smaller house on the property.

One of my favorite views: the birch walkway up to the Tolstoy home

Tolstoy's Self-selected Burial Site

My amazing host and Russian sister

No trip would be complete without a marschrutka adventure.  Loved this sign:
Shout if you want to get out!

Tolstoy has been a big part of my Russian experience as I've read both Anna Karenina and War and Peace for the first time since moving to Moscow. I knew that I couldn't leave this time around without seeing his home. I could have spent hours in the museums and his home...mostly just looking through his book collection! We were told there are approximately 22,000 volumes in his library and browsing through their titles and languages is completely fascinating. Tolstoy himself studied 15 languages and was fluent in several...something to me which is awe-inspiring as I continue to work on my Russian.

After our tour through the fabulous grounds and museums, we wandered the grounds. And wandering through the woods, with my feet in grass and dirt, brought me back to peace and sanity. Sometimes a day off and a change of scenery is all it takes to come back to your city with an open heart!

Getting there: trains from the Kursky Train Station (Metro: Kurskaya)
Cost: approximately 350 rubles in a seated wagon
Yasnaya Polyana website
Tour (available in English): 250 rubles

31 Days in Moscow: Musical Museums

May 1st. It's hard to believe that 8 months have come and gone since I arrived in Moscow. While time seemed to freeze (along with everything else) during our eternal winter, it too has melted away with the snow. In exactly one month I'll be flying to London and saying a temporary goodbye to this city and, while our relationship is complicated, I know there will be much that I will miss while I'm away. And it's those things I want to share with you for the next month: Moscow in May. 31 days of sights, sounds, and stories. Tips, tricks, restaurant recommendations, itineraries, day trips...if there's anything you'd specifically like to hear about, let me know!

Where do we start? Musical Moscow. Did you expect anything different given my profession?! While the vast amount of my time here is spent at the Bolshoi, on Saturday I took some time to venture into other areas of Moscow's musical history and, as a result, today's highlight is musician museums. (We will return to the theatre however...stay tuned for Backstage at the Bolshoi day!)

First up, Glinka Museum of Musical Culture. This museum houses a large collection of historical musical instruments. All the Russian folk instruments are covered, but the collection covers an international range as well. I really enjoyed some of the manuscripts of old Russian folk songs, and took down some titles to see if I could listen to them online. Another highlight was the small display dedicated to violinist David Oistrakh. Russia has produced some seriously-skilled players and being able to glimpse into their lives never ceases to intrigue me. Best of all? There was a children's birthday party being held while I wandered through the instrument collection and they were entranced watching the cartoon version of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." Hearing their laughter or enraptured silence was enough to make me stop and watch with them for awhile. Go music education!

The museum has a series of concerts and lectures available as well at a very reasonable price...highly recommend stopping by!

Address: Ulitsa fadeeva, 4 Metro: Mayakovskaya, Novoslobodskaya *English tours/materials

Price: 100 rubles

The best part of paying the admission for the Glinka museum is that it also admits you to several affiliate museums. I made my next stop at the Chaliapin house museum, dedicated to the legendary bass who's being widely celebrated this year, the centennial of his death. This was my favorite stop of the day. I loving visiting house museums in general...it's such an interesting dynamic when you're learning about a person while surrounded by their living history. This house has a great collection commemorating Schaliapin and to top that? The babushkas who sit in each room to be sure you keep your wandering hands to yourself know EVERYTHING! Obviously this is especially beneficial if you speak Russian, but not a picture or artifact came without an interesting anecdote.

Address: Novinskiy Bul'var, 25-27 Metro: Barrikadnaya *English language tours available

Last up for the day, the Tchaikovsky and Moscow Museum. While Tchaikovsky spent some of his Moscow years in this apartment, it was not actually his and came furnished, so it's missing some of the personality and authenticity that you experience across the street at Schaliapin's. It's worth stopping by if you've already purchased the Glinka ticket, but it wouldn't top my Moscow itinerary. The primary emphasis is Tchaikovsky's relationships at the Moscow Conservatory...friends, teachers, and so on.

Address: Kudrinskaya Ploshad', 46/54 Metro: Barrikadnaya *English materials available

One of Moscow's "Seven Sisters," the Stalinist sky scrapers. Located directly across from the Tchaikovsky museum.

While musicians are obviously likely to be intrigued by this museums more than your average tourist, an understanding or introduction to Moscow's musical history is bound to underhance your understanding of this city, its people, and its history. If a concert's not your first choice, I'd make some of these museums your second!

Coming soon...Day Trip Recommendation #1!!!