Culture & Customs

It’s now just 7 days until the start of the Sochi Olympics and here at Russian Life we are getting pretty excited. Sure, it’s our thing to get excited about all things Russian. But it’s more than that. Here are 7 reasons we’re particularly amped.

There are many myths surrounding Russian food. Darra Goldstein, author of the cookbook, A Taste of Russia, addresses seven common ones.

Is Russia a dangerous, expensive, complicated place to travel to? Is it full of mafia, alcoholics, communists and poverty? Sounds like it's time to debunk some myths about travel to modern Russia.

It is a common trope that Russians never smile. Which of course is interpreted to mean they are unfriendly, gloomy, sullen – positively Dostoyevskian. This, of course, is a complete misreading of body language and cultural norms.

Cod was once scorned in Russia. Now it is properly seen as a delicacy. Start the New Year off right with this version of the fish with an egg and butter sauce.

After the games are over and the crowds have gone home, Sochi will still be Sochi. We look at what this Black Sea resort has to offer visitors beyond Olympic wonders.

Their 1964 Olympic win at Innsbruck started a winning streak in pairs skating that has not bee, and likely never will be, equaled. So why have Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov not been invited to Sochi?

Olympic host countries typically garner many more medals than their average take at a games. We look at Russia's prospects and what their victory could "cost" Russia. The story includes a two-page guide to the games, with a schedule of events and maps of the venues.

The giant trunk appeared out of nowhere, a huge box that looked like a Versace suitcase left behind by a giant alien. To this day, its appearance and disappearance are a mystery.

Some Russian legislators have an unwavering faith in the ability of laws to rid society of all its evils. Noise? Bad news? The stench of garlic? The end of the world? No problem - just ban 'em all!

When the music you sing is banned, when the entire genre is identified with the enemy, how do you find the courage to keep singing? Just ask Boris Grebenshikov!

The first-ever English version of Uncle Gilya’s masterpiece, Moscow and Muscovites, translated by Brendan Kiernan and published by Russian Life Books, debuts today. It’s our way of saying “Happy Birthday” to Uncle Gilya (today is his 158th!). English-language readers around the globe win as well – this translation is at least 90 years overdue!