January 07, 2020

A Very Russian Christmas


A Very Russian Christmas
That's alot of "sleduyushaya stantsiya..." Andrei Belitsky

In Russia, Christmas falls on January 7, but a few Muscovites got their stockings stuffed early.

Metro authorities have dubbed the sporadic and random replenishment of farecards a real-life Christmas (or, more commonly in Russia, New Years) “miracle.”

Last month, some riders reported that they had received credits of 20,000R on their cards: enough for more than 300 trips and about as many dollars. The phenomenon was captured on camera by photographer Andrei Belitsky, and has stumped transport administrators. Whether or not mysterious troika bells and a hearty “Ho ho ho!” were heard in the background is yet to be determined.

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The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

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A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

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The Moscow Eccentric

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