Russia - The fashion this season...

I've been walking around town. The office has become somewhat of a prison. Although there is an abundant amount of merry making there between the assistants and our russian counterparts (e.g. the girls Sveta [she's the boss], Tatiana [Tanya ticket queen and probably most street saavy] Olya [The airport goddess], Anna [I sleep in the office and never go home and study too much] Sasha [Dorthy who lived in Kansas for a year] Katia [My partner in crime tonight] and a the rest of the SLS staff) we make each other laugh as often as possible. Its necessary, bloody important! Still, the office has taken up every moment of my last three days. I'm feeling quite tired and thinknig that a nap might be in order. I could really use it. I decided to forego a nap and take in the nice weather (which was growing overcast) and take a walk down Nevsky Prospect to get out, see the town. I was hoping to go down and cath the afternoon light (not unlike the light all day long, as its light all day long) and take a picture of the Bronze Horseman that inspired Pushkin's poem, it elluded me last year. Part way down Nevsky the skies thwarted me and unloaded. Figures.

To avoid the rain I stopped in a small art where I bought a few prints last year. I was happy to find it still on Nevsky but sad to see the painting I debated buying last year gone. I don't remember the artist so its not like I could find him out and see if he or she has more of the same. I'm not surprised though, it was gorgeous and at 18,000 Rubels, a steal. I love this store. There are galleries all around town. A small square infront of a church on Nevsky sells local art, most of kind of cheezy but the occasional gem--there's just an abundance of art. On every canal sits an artist trying to capture St. Petersburg: an answer that preceeds a question. Its like playing ontological jeapordy. I looked over some lovely handcrafter Russian Nesting Dolls (Matroshki) I like them more than the fabricated ones that are mass produced, although quite beautiful they don't have the rustic charm of these artist (student) creations.

I have that record (the internet cafe has wonderful music, and in this case, I have this record, its a chicken lips remix of an artist whose name escapes me... )

The facts:

The fasion this season ladies and gentlemen are pointy shoes. They border on elf and sometimes cross that threshold into Santa's little helpers. This fashion applies to both men and women, its really obnoxious.

According to Tom, men have taken to wearing Capris in Moscow. (doesn't seem to have caught on here.)

Fight for your change, they hate breaking large bills.

The genuflecting old woman is on Nevsky every day. I want to take her picture. She breaks my heart a little more every time I see her and I've taken to giving her more and more money each time.

There are too many pharmacies in this city. A cornacopia of pharmacology. (I remember Stacy telling me something similar happens in France, they love their meds.)

Weather is unpredictable (but we've already discussed this.)

A nap is in my future before our midnight boat cruise...

Shislivo...