MOSCOW WALKS: OLD ARBAT AT NIGHT

For many Moscovites the Old Arbat street is imbued with an almost mythical aura and a heavy dose of nostalgia. One of the most famed Russian bards, Bulat Okudzhava, even sang “oh Arbat, my Arbat, you are my Fatherland…” It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact source of this reverence. Arbat’s history is very layered. In the…

ANNA AND ANNIE DO ANTWERP

My Belgian adventure continues… I think it is safe to say that almost as soon as Amazing Annie and I met up in Brussels, we knew that one evening in each other’s company just wasn’t going to cut it. Thankfully, with my work commitments all wrapped up, I had a Weekend in Europe coming up…

THE HIDDEN BRIGHTNESS OF BRUSSELS

It is true that with its mostly limestone-gray Gothic exteriors of the old town and limestone-beige Neo-Classical architecture of the last two centuries Brussels is architecturally more somber and buttoned-up than a lot of it European neighbors. But take some time to hang around it and you will discover a million ways that the city…

MOSCOW STREET ART – part 2

I don’t know how it came about — whether it was a centralized program or several community initiatives — but over the last few years many Moscow buildings have been overtaken by gorgeous works of art. It pops up unexpectedly throughout the city, on garages and apartment complexes, in the Center and on the periphery,…

CURIO and CURIOUSER

Saint Pete’s is full of the fun and the funky, of the unusual and the unexpected. Here’s just a small sampling: Lions and Boobs Those are the predominant themes in architectural decoration in this city. One signifies might, another …I’ve got nothing. I guess breasts are just generally a good thing? Museum of Curiosities There’s…

PHOTO CHALLENGE: STREET ART

Because I have been taking my sweet time with finishing up the text for my next post (three posts, actually — I am multitasking and procrastinating at the same time), a fellow blogger challenged me to put up some photos of Moscow in the meantime. The result is also a celebration of major personal achievement,…